Himachal Pradesh Minister calls on Sikkim Chief Minister

Minister Stoker salutes Chamling for making Sikkim as fully organic

Gangtok, February 25, 2013

The Himachal Pradesh Minister of Horticulture and Information Technology, Vidya Stoker who is on her visit to Sikkim on February 24 called on Sikkim Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling at his official residence. The Minister was accompanied by the Officials of the Horticulture Department of the Government of Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister welcomed the Minister and informed her about the various development initiatives taking place in Sikkim. Talking about the horticulture and floriculture sectors, the Chief Minister said that despite initial difficulties, the State Government in Sikkim has succeeded to convince the farming communities to take up organic farming. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides have been fully replaced by organic manure, vermi-culture and the people of Sikkim have fully cooperated with the Government, said Chamling.

In order to initiate capacity building of the people, the Chief Minister informed that the State has Directorate of Capacity Building and Institute of Capacity Building in addition to one Livelihood School in each Constituency. Formal training programs on organic farming, basic engineering etc. are organized for the educated unemployed so that the State is able to churn out skilled human resource in the State who can get job anywhere in the world.

The Minister, Smt. Stoker was all praise for the Chief Minister’s mission to transform Sikkim into total organic state and said that the progress made has been ‘remarkable’. She also lauded the Chief Minister and said that Sikkim is going to be the first such State in the entire country.

Recalling her own State’s initiative, she said that Himachal Pradesh also tried to stop use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers but could not succeed. Commenting on the ongoing flower festival, the Minister was all praise for the Chief Minister for the commendable initiative and expressed her joy to see flowers bloom all around making her happy and contented.

The Chief Minister, as the constituent member of UPA-II government at the centre, made suggestion to Smt. Stoker to pass on the suggestion to the Congress party leadership at the centre spell out Organic Mission statement in the party’s Manifesto to commit to make the whole of India as the Organic Country. The Minister gratefully agreed to raise the issue before the central leadership.

The Minister, Smt. Stoker extended an invitation to Shri Chamling to visit the State of Himachal Pradesh to share the success stories of Sikkim with the people of Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister accepted the invitation and thanked the Minister for coming to Sikkim.