News & Announcement
Gangtok District IEIAP Consultation Meeting Held for Economic Inclusive Action Plan
Gangtok, February 20 (IPR): A district-level consultation meeting for the District Integrated Economic Inclusive Action Plan (IEIAP) under the Sikkim Inspires initiative was held today at the conference hall of the District Administrative Centre (DAC), Gangtok.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Tushar Nikhare, District Collector cum Chairperson of the IEIAP Committee.
The consultation had the presence of Mr Sisum Wangchuk Bhutia ADC Gangtok, Mr Milan Rai ADC (Development), Mr GL Meena SDM (HQ), Mr Deepak Rai Nodal Officer PIU RDD, Mr Sonam Gyatso, DPO, Zilla Panchayat, officials from allied departments, BDOs, bankers, stakeholders, and representatives from various educational institutions.
At the outset, Mr Milan Rai outlined the objectives of the consultation. He explained that Sikkim Inspires, an initiative of the Government of Sikkim supported by the World Bank, adopts a pan-economy, pan-government approach to enhance economic opportunities for women and youth.
Following this, Mr Deepak Rai presented an overview of Sikkim Inspires, highlighting the best practices adopted by the Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project (TNRTP) to uplift the economic conditions of women and youth.
Ms Priya Shrestha, TSA (Technical Support Agency) RDD, provided a brief background on the Integrated Economic Inclusive Action Samriddha Plan for Gangtok District, elaborating on the methodology employed for its formulation. Additionally, Ms Shiyari Debbarma, TSA/RDD team presented findings from the District Diagnostic Study.
Mr Chinmay Kumar, Technical Support Agency, TSA Coordinator shared insights from the Employment and Enterprise Survey, followed by a presentation by Mr Sital Sharma, District Planning Team on findings from Focus Group Discussions conducted at the Gram Panchayat (GP) level.
An open-house discussion was held to identify key economic activities for Gangtok District, along with enablers, drivers, and catalysts for success. The discussion also explored opportunities for convergence with existing departmental schemes, moderated by DAC, Gangtok. The chair actively engaged in the conversation and intervened when necessary to provide clarity and direction. He paid close attention to the various suggestions presented by the participants and carefully considered the challenges associated with the proposed plan ensuring that all perspectives were acknowledged. The members of the allied departments participated actively, sharing their insights, raising concerns, and contributing constructive ideas to refine the plan further.
Mr Tushar Nikhare in his address, expressed gratitude to the members for their participation in the consultative meeting. He commended the innovative ideas that emerged during the discussion and encouraged members to keep him informed about effective waste management practices. He emphasised the need for youth involvement in producing biodegradable bottles and highlighted the importance of promoting affordable state souvenirs.
He also proposed the installation of water ATMs and urged allied departments to establish creche facilities within their workplaces. Speaking about local wine production, he encouraged self-help groups (SHGs) to explore and market products that reflect the region's unique flavours.
He further suggested setting up music libraries across various locations, noting that urban areas would particularly benefit from such initiatives, given the abundance of young, talented singers. Addressing the potential of e-commerce, he urged departments to promote local products through online platforms.
Highlighting the economic disparities faced by today’s youth, the chair stressed the importance of youth participation in existing empowerment programmes. He called on entrepreneurs to motivate and support young individuals while emphasising the need to strengthen district-level incubation centres.
Additionally, he underscored the importance of dedicated spaces for urban SHGs, ensuring they have the necessary infrastructure to thrive. He also urged the officials to provide beneficiaries with training facilities, support them in accessing credit linkages, and assist them in establishing their shops.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Mr GL Meena, SDM(HQ) Gangtok.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Tushar Nikhare, District Collector cum Chairperson of the IEIAP Committee.
The consultation had the presence of Mr Sisum Wangchuk Bhutia ADC Gangtok, Mr Milan Rai ADC (Development), Mr GL Meena SDM (HQ), Mr Deepak Rai Nodal Officer PIU RDD, Mr Sonam Gyatso, DPO, Zilla Panchayat, officials from allied departments, BDOs, bankers, stakeholders, and representatives from various educational institutions.
At the outset, Mr Milan Rai outlined the objectives of the consultation. He explained that Sikkim Inspires, an initiative of the Government of Sikkim supported by the World Bank, adopts a pan-economy, pan-government approach to enhance economic opportunities for women and youth.
Following this, Mr Deepak Rai presented an overview of Sikkim Inspires, highlighting the best practices adopted by the Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project (TNRTP) to uplift the economic conditions of women and youth.
Ms Priya Shrestha, TSA (Technical Support Agency) RDD, provided a brief background on the Integrated Economic Inclusive Action Samriddha Plan for Gangtok District, elaborating on the methodology employed for its formulation. Additionally, Ms Shiyari Debbarma, TSA/RDD team presented findings from the District Diagnostic Study.
Mr Chinmay Kumar, Technical Support Agency, TSA Coordinator shared insights from the Employment and Enterprise Survey, followed by a presentation by Mr Sital Sharma, District Planning Team on findings from Focus Group Discussions conducted at the Gram Panchayat (GP) level.
An open-house discussion was held to identify key economic activities for Gangtok District, along with enablers, drivers, and catalysts for success. The discussion also explored opportunities for convergence with existing departmental schemes, moderated by DAC, Gangtok. The chair actively engaged in the conversation and intervened when necessary to provide clarity and direction. He paid close attention to the various suggestions presented by the participants and carefully considered the challenges associated with the proposed plan ensuring that all perspectives were acknowledged. The members of the allied departments participated actively, sharing their insights, raising concerns, and contributing constructive ideas to refine the plan further.
Mr Tushar Nikhare in his address, expressed gratitude to the members for their participation in the consultative meeting. He commended the innovative ideas that emerged during the discussion and encouraged members to keep him informed about effective waste management practices. He emphasised the need for youth involvement in producing biodegradable bottles and highlighted the importance of promoting affordable state souvenirs.
He also proposed the installation of water ATMs and urged allied departments to establish creche facilities within their workplaces. Speaking about local wine production, he encouraged self-help groups (SHGs) to explore and market products that reflect the region's unique flavours.
He further suggested setting up music libraries across various locations, noting that urban areas would particularly benefit from such initiatives, given the abundance of young, talented singers. Addressing the potential of e-commerce, he urged departments to promote local products through online platforms.
Highlighting the economic disparities faced by today’s youth, the chair stressed the importance of youth participation in existing empowerment programmes. He called on entrepreneurs to motivate and support young individuals while emphasising the need to strengthen district-level incubation centres.
Additionally, he underscored the importance of dedicated spaces for urban SHGs, ensuring they have the necessary infrastructure to thrive. He also urged the officials to provide beneficiaries with training facilities, support them in accessing credit linkages, and assist them in establishing their shops.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Mr GL Meena, SDM(HQ) Gangtok.