Will keep working hard for progress of Sikkim: PM Modi
Greeting the people of Sikkim on marking the 50th anniversary of obtaining statehood, the PM took to X to post that he 'unfortunately' could not travel to the State due to inclement weather and vowed to work hard for the progress of the Northeastern state in the future.
'I was eagerly awaiting my Sikkim visit but unfortunately, the weather did not permit it. I did, however, address the programme virtually and expressed my greetings to the people. We will keep working hard for the progress of Sikkim in the times to come,' PM Modi said on X.
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1927999151691772111
PM Modi said this while reposting a post of Sikkim's Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
'We, the people of Sikkim, convey our sincere thanks to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi ji, for blessing us virtually on the occasion of our 50th Statehood Day celebrations,' Tamang said on X.
'Although the weather did not permit his physical presence, his message and goodwill resonated deeply across the state. We look forward to welcoming the Hon'ble PM to our serene and majestic Himalayan homeland in the near future,' the Sikkim CM added.
The Prime Minister addressed the 'Sikkim@50' programme in Gangtok via videoconferencing. The theme of the event was 'Where Progress Meets Purpose, and Nature Nurtures Growth'.
PM Modi in his address noted that over the past 50 years, Sikkim has become a model of progress alongside nature. He said the State has transformed into a vast sanctuary of biodiversity, achieved the status of a 100 per cent organic state, and emerged as a symbol of cultural and heritage prosperity.
He highlighted that today, Sikkim is among the states with the highest per capita income in the country. These achievements, he affirmed, are a testament to the capabilities of the people of Sikkim.
He recognized the many stars that have emerged from Sikkim over the last five decades, illuminating India's horizon. He acknowledged the contribution of every community in Sikkim towards its rich culture and prosperity.
PM Modi was scheduled to arrive in the state around 11 AM, however, virtually laid the foundation stone and inaugurated several key development projects to boost infrastructure, connectivity, and overall growth in Sikkim.
Prime Minister Modi said improving connectivity remains one of the main achievements of his government, which has, over the past decade, ushered in a slew of rail and road projects, including in the Northeastern state of Sikkim.
In his address delivered via videoconferencing at the Sikkim@50 event held at Gangtok's Palzor Stadium, the Prime Minister recalled a time when travel for education, healthcare, and employment was a major challenge for the region. However, he noted that the situation has changed significantly over the past decade.
'In Sikkim alone, approximately 400 kilometres of new national highways have been constructed. In rural areas, over 100 kilometres of new roads have been built. With the Atal Setu, connectivity between Sikkim and Darjeeling has also greatly improved,' PM Modi said.
PM Modi emphasised that the biggest reason for the transformation of Sikkim is the improvement in connectivity, a change that the people of Sikkim have witnessed firsthand.
He highlighted that where distance from Delhi once posed a barrier to progress, the same region is now opening new doors of opportunities.
He pointed out that nearly 400 kilometers of new national highways have been built in Sikkim during the last 10 years.
He said that hundreds of kilometers of new roads have been constructed in villages. Remarking that the construction of Atal Setu has enhanced Sikkim's connectivity with Darjeeling, PM Modi said that work is progressing rapidly on the road linking Sikkim with Kalimpong. He added that the Bagdogra-Gangtok Expressway will make travel to and from Sikkim much easier.
Looking ahead, he announced plans to connect this expressway with the Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway, further strengthening the region's infrastructure.
Highlighting efforts to connect the capital cities of all Northeastern states to the railway network are progressing rapidly, PM Modi underlined that the Sevoke-Rangpo rail line will integrate Sikkim into the national rail network.
He emphasized that where roads cannot be built, ropeways are being constructed as an alternative. PM Modi also noted that several ropeway projects were inaugurated earlier today, further improving convenience for the people of Sikkim.
Prime Minister laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects in Sikkim. Projects include a new 500-bedded District hospital worth over Rs 750 crore in Namchi district; Passenger Ropeway at Sangachoeling, Pelling in Gyalshing District; Statue of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji at Atal Amrit Udyan at Sangkhola in Gangtok District among others. Prime Minister also released the Commemorative coin, souvenir coin and stamp of 50 years of Statehood. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM: 1st Made-in-India semiconductor chips by December
PM Narendra Modi NEW DELHI: Emphasising self-reliance as the bedrock of national strength, PM Modi on Friday announced a broad contour of initiatives that will focus on making India secure in different sectors including energy, semiconductor chip manufacturing, critical minerals, digital infrastructure, medicines and fertilisers. He shared that the first 'Made in India' semiconductor chips will come to the market by Dec. "The greater a nation's reliance on others, the more its freedom comes into question. Misfortune arises when depe-ndency becomes a habit, when we do not even realise when we abandon self-reliance and become dependent on others," said Modi, citing an example of a semiconductor idea that came to the table 60 years ago but was "stalled, delayed and shelved". "We lost 50-60 years. Many countries mastered semiconductors and establis-hed their strength," he said. Modi also announced the launch of National Deepwater Exploration Mission to look for oil and gas reserves in the sea and tap ocean resources. The efforts, termed 'Samudra Manthan' by the PM, will go on simultaneously with the push for non-fossil fuel energy. It will complement the Deep Ocean Mission, which involves development of submersibles and deep-sea mining technologies. Modi also announced that India's nuclear energy capacity would increase ten times by 2047. He said work was under way on 10 new reactors. He spoke about National Critical Mineral Mission that aims to secure resources essential for energy, industry, and defence. He stressed the urgent need to produce fertilisers to empower farmers and protect national food security. Highlighting India's strength as the "pharmacy of the world", Modi emphasised the need to invest in research and development. "Shouldn't we be the ones providing the best and most affordable medicines for the welfare of humanity?" he said.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM launches scheme to create 3.5cr private sector jobs in 2 yrs
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Friday announced the launch of the Rs 1 lakh crore employment scheme aimed at supporting the creation of 3.5 crore jobs in the private sector over the next two years. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The move, coming ahead of crucial assembly polls in Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam in the coming months, also addresses concerns over employment challenge that opposition parties have sought to highlight. The PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which was earlier called Employment-Linked Incentive scheme, is targeted at first time employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh a month and will provide EPF wage up to Rs 15,000 in two instalments. The plan is to pay up to 1.9 crore first time employees. The second element is an incentive to employers of up to Rs 3,000 a month for a year for each additional employment, sustained for at least six months. For the manufacturing sector, the incentives will be extended to the third and fourth years as well. "Today, opportunities are being created for our youth in new sectors. A massive campaign is going on for skill development, self-employment, internships in big companies and hence, youth of the country," Modi said.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Need desi social media platforms to secure digital sovereignty: PM
PM Narendra Modi NEW DELHI Emphasising on the need to have digital sovereignty, PM Modi on Friday called on the youth to develop India's own social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram and X, to ensure that the country's technological ecosystems remain secure and independent, reinforcing digital autonomy. "From operating systems to cybersecurity, from deep tech to artificial intelligence, everything should be our own," Modi said while addressing the nation on its 79th I-Day. Citing the success of India's UPI platform, he said, "Our UPI platform is surprising the world today. We have the capability. India alone is doing 50% of real-time transactions through UPI. This means power." "I challenge the youth of my country, come, why don't we have our own platforms? Why should we depend on others? Why should India's wealth go out?" the PM said. His remarks come at a time when there has been a long-standing demand for creating the country's own operating system and social media platforms as it is paramount for any sovereign country to keep its data and communication system secure, the way other countries do it. TNN
