Sikkim Assembly passes first supplementary demand for grants of Rs 1901.98 crore

Gangtok, Feb 12 (PTI) The Sikkim Assembly on Monday passed the first supplementary demand for grants worth Rs 1901.98 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24.

On the day-long seventh session (Part III) of the 10th assembly, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who holds additional charge of the Finance department, tabled the first supplementary demand for grants of Rs 1901.98 crore comprising of Rs 609.47 crore on revenue account and Rs 1292.51 crore on capital account in the house which was passed by members by voice vote.

The Assembly also passed the Sikkim Appropriation Bill, 2024 to enable the state government to withdraw the amount under the first supplementary demand for grants from the consolidated fund of Sikkim after Tamang tables it in the House.

Earlier, the members paid tribute to their ex-colleague Sher Bahadur Subedi, who passed away on February 9 following a prolonged illness and observed a two-minute silence in memory of the departed soul.

During the legislative business, the Assembly passed 11 bills, including two amendment bills which were introduced by the concerned Ministers-in-Charge.

Transport Minister M N Sherpa introduced the Sikkim Enlistment of Constructional Machineries and Equipment Bill, 2024 which proposes to streamline the deployment and operation of construction machinery and equipment within the state of Sikkim to eliminate the unsanctioned operational practices and in consideration of safeguarding the environment, interest of local public and signifying the concept of ease of doing business.

Education Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha introduced the Orchid University Bill, 2024 which proposed to establish a self-financed private university under the name of the 'Orchid University' in Mangan District, sponsored by Peace of Dream Foundation.

He also introduced the Gurukul Vidhyapeeth University Bill, 2024 which proposed to establish the 'Gurukul Vidhyapeeth University' in Sikkim to be fully funded by the Council of Software Engineers and shall be established at Melli in Namchi district.

Lepcha further introduced the Matrix Skilltech University, Sikkim Bill, 2024 which proposed to establish the Matrix SkillTech University in Sikkim's Gyalshing district to provide skill-based education programmes for the youth of Sikkim and to contribute to the intellectual, inclusive and sustainable development of the people of Sikkim through quality teaching, research and extension activities.

The 'Matrix SkillTech University shall be a self-funded private university.

The Education Minister also introduced the Duke International University Bill, 2024 which proposed to establish the Duke International University in Sikkim to provide rapid development in all spheres of knowledge, especially in skill development and it will be funded by Navya Smile Foundation, Ghaziabad.

Lepcha introduced the Sikkim Medical Science University Bill, 2024 which proposed to establish the 'Sikkim Medical Science University' in Namchi District to fulfil the critical gaps and medical education in Sikkim.

It will be a self-financed private university fully funded by the Dream Educational Charitable Trust.

Lepcha, who is also the minister in charge of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, introduced the Sikkim Legislative Members (Payment of Pension and Medical Allowances) Amendment Bill, 2024 to address a technical error detected in the Sikkim Legislative Members (Payment of Pension and Medical Allowances) Amendment Act, 2018 wherein the word "Assembly" was inadvertently missed in the nomenclature (Amended) vide Notification No.08/LD/18, dated 13.06.2018 and published in the Gazette No.319 dated 14th June 2018.

He also introduced the Sikkim Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to amend sections 17, 18 and 19 A of the Sikkim Civil Courts Act, 1978 to provide a valuable forum to the litigants to appeal before the District Judge.

Urban Development Minister L B Das introduced 'the Sikkim Town and Country Planning Bill 2024', Bill No 10 of 2024 which proposed to develop physical and socio-economic plans for different hierarchies and explore innovative land use mechanisms to attract investments for planned growth.

This legislation will also provide for the establishment of development authorities to supervise development beyond municipal areas and define recruitment rules for hiring workforce with the required skill set to facilitate an organised approach to land, labour and capital.

Lepcha introduced 'the Management and Information Technology University Sikkim Bill 2024 which proposed to establish a self-financing private university under the name of "the Management and Information Technology University" also known as "MIT University" in Sikkim.

The proposed university shall be fully funded/sponsored by the Institute of Management and Technical Studies (IMTS) and shall be established at Mell in Namchi district.

He introduced another bill, called the Shri Rukmani Dwarkadhish University of Science and Technology Bill 2024, which proposed to establish Shri Rukmani Dwarkadhish University of Science and Technology, a self-financed private University in Sikkim.

The discussion and voting on all these bills will take place in the next sitting of SLA.

The Speaker Arun Kumar Upreti subsequently adjourned the house sine die. PTI KDK RG