At Niti Aayog meet, CM Tamang seeks 'world-class' highway connecting Sikkim to Siliguri

Gangtok, May 24 (PTI) Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday demanded a world-class highway between Sikkim and Siliguri at the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal to boost connectivity in the region.

Speaking at the 10th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog in New Delhi, he said such a highway would boost strategic and economic mobility.

Tamang said there is also a need to climate-proof NH-10, the only road that connects Sikkim to the rest of the country.

It suffered major damage during the 2023 floods and is often closed due to landslides.

The CM also sought an integrated check post at Chewa Bhanjyang, located at the state's border with Nepal, and a multimodal corridor connecting it to boost cross-border trade.

"Sikkim stands firmly aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and looks forward to continued support from the Government of India," he said.

At the meeting, Tamang presented the state's plan to grow its GSDP and emerge as "India's first green capital and green destination", anchored in the principles of sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.

Among the key issues he spoke about in the meeting were village-led development and global partnerships with a focus on ASEAN and East Asia, it said.

He also stressed the commitment of his government to empower youth through skilling and entrepreneurship.

He outlined the state's achievements in agriculture, healthcare, education, power, and digital connectivity, alongside the promotion of tourism, MSMEs, and industrial development.

Sector-specific academies have been set up in the state to address emerging economic demands, he said.

"As a pioneer in organic farming, Sikkim continues to lead in clean energy and waste management, fully aligning with India’s renewable energy goals through the expansion of hydropower and solar initiatives," he said.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the states and Union Territories to remove policy bottlenecks to encourage investment and generate employment as he stressed that if the Centre and states work together like Team India, no goal is impossible. PTI KDK SOM