Gangtok, April 28 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while participating in the concluding ceremony of the 50th year of Sikkim’s statehood on Tuesday, said many important things regarding the North East and Sikkim. He said that Sikkim and the entire North-East is not just a part of the country but is the ‘Ashtalakshmi of India’, a symbol of the country’s prosperity and power.
The Prime Minister said, “North East is the Ashtalakshmi of India. That is why we are working on the ‘Act East’ policy and have also taken a pledge to ‘Act Fast’.” He said that the special focus of the government is on strengthening the connectivity and infrastructure of Sikkim. In the last few years, hundreds of kilometers of highways have been built here and the work of providing roads to every village is going on at a fast pace.
PM Modi described Sikkim’s biggest strength as its tourism economy. He said that even though the area of Sikkim is less than 1 percent of the total area of the country, more than 25 percent of the country’s floral diversity is found here. Specifically referring to orchids, he said that if you have not seen the orchids of Sikkim, you have not experienced the real beauty.
The Prime Minister said that another area of potential for Sikkim also lies in Sky Sports. The youth here have proved their ability and talent in sports on big platforms. Players from here have brought glory to Sikkim and the country in sports like football, boxing and archery. To promote these talents, we are running movements like Khelo India and Fit India. The State Sports Academy here has also been revived. Sports events like Sikkim Premier League are being promoted so that maximum number of players get a chance to play and improve their game.
While sharing his experience, PM Modi said that he had reached Gangtok a day ago and was very happy to see the atmosphere here. Coming here after the busy schedule of Bengal elections gave me a new feeling. There was a festive atmosphere all around and the mind was filled with happiness. He also praised the weather and natural beauty of Sikkim and described it as the ‘Paradise of the East’ and the ‘Garden of Orchids’.
He said that experiencing the peace, spirituality and natural beauty of Sikkim is very special and not everyone gets it. PM Modi appealed to the countrymen to visit Sikkim because the people here are the true brand ambassadors of nature.
The Prime Minister also appreciated the simplicity, gentleness and smile of the people of Sikkim. He told that even before the tour, he met many talented people of Sikkim (Padma Award winners, artists and football players) and talked to them on various topics.
Referring to his road show, PM Modi said that the experience will be unforgettable for him. He told that people had the tricolor in their hands, slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ were echoing, due to which the whole atmosphere was filled with the feeling of ‘One India, Best India’.
He also praised the cleanliness of Sikkim. The Prime Minister said, “I was impressed by the cleanliness of the roads throughout the route. There was no filth anywhere, no pollution in the air. The people of Sikkim are true protectors of nature.”
The Prime Minister said that Sikkim has set an example of ‘One India, Best India’ at a time when there is often politics of division in the name of language, region and caste in the country. He described this program as a beautiful display of India’s diversity and unity.
–IANS
VKU/VC