Presentation of, Sikkim Human Development Report 2001' and 'Sikkim: The People's Vision'

Address delivered on the eve of presentation of 'Human Development Report 2001' and 'Sikkim: The Peoples Vision' on 27th August 2001 in Gangtok.

I stand here to present two significant and well-researched reports to the Hon’ble members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.

It is indeed a historic occasion and a proud moment for all the people of Sikkim. Beautiful Sikkim is the home of the three traditional ethnic groups-the Lepchas, Bhutias and the Nepalese. Besides, Sikkim is also home to many business class people. Sikkim is a habitat to very rare flora and fauna. This we call our biodiversity or our natural capital of which we are richly endowed. It is a much sought after destination by many historians, travelers, tourists and adventurers. It is a land of contrast where people from the hills and plains live in complete harmony. It provides sustenance to India's ecological balance and military security.

Despite all these well-founded contributions and recognition, Sikkim is still intellectually unknown, away from national and international discourse and unfortunately for many, perhaps a land of poverty and ignorance.

This is partly because of rampant ignorance and lack of knowledge about Sikkim. So far we only have books and literature produced by Hooker, Waddell, Lloyd, Freshfield and Risley. All these reports and books were written in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Our forefathers read only those books. Most of the books and literature written in the post-merger period of last 27 years are also devoted exclusively to political upheavals and shifts of the mid-1970s. They convey nothing about other critical and crucial aspects of the Sikkimese society, economy, culture and environment. They neither advocate direction.

With the publication of Human Development Report 2001 and Sikkim: The Peoples Vision, our children will now be able to read both what happened in the history of Sikkim and what they are facing and doing today. This is my government's contribution to intellectually uplift the Sikkimese people, show them adequate light and take them away from the morass of ignorance and darkness.

It is not possible to reach our goal without first clearly defining where we stand and then second where we are headed. This is the simple fact. Until now we just did what was being handed to us by a whole array of petty thinkers and planners. I would call it simply adhocism and many in our civil society have clearly endorsed this view many a time in the past. My government like all others in different states of India is faced with common problems of governance. We have, therefore, taken some bold steps to work out a clear agenda and to focus our energy and resources. This way we should be able to do high leverage work with minimum of resources. I have always been saying that what hurts me is when we do little work with so much resources-clearly this is not just my hurt but that of the people of Sikkim. Resources are generated in the name of the people and so resources have to be used for the people. This definitely was not happening.

So in order to fill up the gaps in our thinking process the making of these reports were set into motion. This is my government's intellectual endowment to the people of our country. This is primarily aimed at conveying that Sikkim is one of the best performing state in the country today. This is despite the fact that it joined the democratic and planned development process at a much later stage. The last seven years have been very challenging for us in the government because for the first time we discovered that Sikkim has the vast development potential yet it remained un-harnessed. We always talked about integrating Sikkim to the national mainstream, but when we assumed the office, my government found that no work had been done seriously towards this end.

The previous government got elected on the grounds that a whole range of employ­ment will be created for the youth and new generation. But we found that the jobs created were very few and that too purely in the government sectors. Most importantly there were no dedicated efforts in developing human resources in the state. Therefore, we started our journey of governing the state against backdrop of a very dismal innings by the previous governments. Even today we cannot say that our efforts are going to bear fruit immediately. It will take more time to see the fruits of our labor.

Both these Reports have been prepared when Sikkim is searching for a new path of development. In the new emerging development path, it is not only the government but also the private sector and the non-state actors like NGOs also can play an equally vital role. This new path will be in tune with the reform process initiated by the Union Government. These Reports also go very well with the tone of globalization at the international level.

Our state being a small, landlocked and developing one, has always tried to protect itself from external shocks. A critical question is that of meeting and tackling these challenges without adversely affecting the present political economy and traditional socio­ cultural norms and practices.

The Human Development Report 2001 has been authored by Prof. Mahendra P. Lama, a very well known development economist from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. While preparing the same, Prof. Lama was advised by a panel of very eminent figures in the country. It included Dr. Anil Aggarwal, Director, Centre for Science and Environment; Prof. Muchkund Dubey, former Foreign Secretary of India and presently Deputy-Chairman of Sikkim State Planning Commission; Dr. (Mrs) Rohini Nayar, Advisor, Planning Commission; Dr. T.S. Papola, Head, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu; and Dr. R. Sudarshan, Senior Economist, United Nations Development Programme.

This Report was produced on the basis of a very extensive consultation with the policy-makers and people at the grassroots. Let me briefly tell you how the concept of Human Development came into being.

The Hon’ble members of this august House are aware that the first global Human Development Report (HDR) was presented to the world community by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the year 1990. The brains behind this were two very famous economists of South Asia, Dr. Mahbubul Haq from Pakistan and Dr. Amartya Sen from India. Since then over 100 countries have prepared the same. In India, at the state level besides Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, Sikkim is the third state to prepare and publish this significant document.

Human development approach considers people as the real source of wealth. It stresses on the formation of human capabilities. The human development strategy presumes that development of human beings should be the main target of economic development as they are the ends by themselves. Human beings have to achieve better standards of living. They all want to have easy access to knowledge. They seek to have improved health conditions so that they can live long productive lives.

The traditional measures of development like gross domestic product and per capita income have been increasingly questioned as the real indicators of development by a large number of scholars and policy-makers. They have always wanted much broader and more representative indicators of development. This search for a new method of measuring development led to the concept of human development and then the indicators like Human Development Index (HDI) were formed.

Human beings also have non-material choices like human rights, political indepen­dence, human dignity and self-respect, social freedom, peace and tranquility etc. Human Development approach therefore, makes an attempt to meet and fulfill all these choices of the people.

In other words, the Human Development approach to development brings out the best from the latent capabilities and talents of the most neglected and marginalized people and communities also. In Sikkim, my government has been primarily driven by this philosophy of giving the most to the poor at the grassroots and at the same time learning from them. They have generations of wisdom embedded in them and we need to articulate it and seek them out.

This Sikkim Human Development Report will go a long way in providing instruments and strategies to translate our philosophy into action and achievements. We want to build human capabilities and use these capabilities for the sustenance of the state and the nation. This is where our government makes a path-breaking departure from many other state governments.

Since this is for the first time such an attempt has been made to prepare a HDR of Sikkim, it has covered broad areas and issues related to development in the state. My government is looking forward to preparation of similar reports making more focused sectorial depiction and analysis in future.

The Sikkim Human Development Report 2001 very critically looks into the issues of population, poverty, planning, health, education, environment, industry and power. It suggests very far-reaching measures on food security, environmental management, governance, traditional practices, women health and empowerment, quality of education and monitoring and evaluation systems.

I am glad to announce that this Report mentions that the position of human development in Sikkim is significantly higher than many other states of India. The Human Development Index has consistently improved from 0.454 in 1991 to 0.532 in 1998.

Two very interesting findings of this Report are on the outflow of resources from Sikkim in both visible and invisible manner. The other is, for the first time, the author has put together a new concept of comprehensive security provided by Sikkim to the nation. This includes military, environmental and people's security. The author suggests that the Union Government should now adequately compensate for the development sacrifices Sikkim has been making in single-handedly providing comprehensive security to the country.

We have a dream to make Sikkim a 'heaven on earth'. I have expressed this lofty but actionable desire of mine in. many functions, gatherings and rallies. But how to transform this dream into reality? This has been a question many of us have been asking.

The best way to go ahead with it was to give this dream a shape of a document. A document that broadly puts together our dream, our desire to do something solid and sustainable. I am very delighted to inform you that Sikkim: The People's Vision is the outcome of this long search for a means to transform our dream into reality. We have this vision document now with very meaningful recommendations. Possibly Sikkim is one of the very few states to have a vision document. Our vision document is not political propaganda. It is a first rate projection of what Sikkim has to do in order to reach a very high growth regime. Again our vision document is not a product of some hasty thinking. It is an outcome of a protracted and serious exercise. Issues have been debated and solutions sought to some of our vexed problems and realities.

Sikkim: The People's Vision is authored by a team of experts headed by a very eminent economist, Dr. Ashok Lahiri of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. This report very critically looks into the fiscal management in the state and suggests very many measures to dramatically improve the financial situation in the state. This includes revamping the tax administration, revising user's charges and containing spiraling subsidies. It highlights expenditure management and prioritization as another major area for reform.

It recommends rationalization of government staff, skill-based secondary and well­ targeted vocational training, private sector participation in the tourism, hydro-power arid agro-based industries and better technological intervention in the animal husbandry sector, agriculture and horticulture.

We are very happy to note that both these Reports are objectively critical of some of our policies. As true and committed representatives of the people we have accepted the policy suggestions. We are now devising means and instruments to correct and implement them. The budget of the state, which I had the privilege to present to the House in last March, did reflect some of the recommendations of these Reports.

We planned the preparation of these Reports in such a manner that the findings of these Reports can go as a major input into the making of our 10th Five Year Plan starting 2002. The Hon’ble members of the House will be impressed by the fact that we have started the discussion on the preparation of the 10th Plan well in time. The State Planning Commission met only a few days back and thoroughly discussed the approach paper prepared by the Planning Commission in the Centre. Many of you participated actively in that meeting.

We found that we are not lagging behind in any respect with the thinking of the Centre. In fact, many of the plans and programmes which the Center’s approach plan envisages to do in the 10th Plan have already been initiated in our state in the last few years.

We have seriously pondered over and discussed how our approaches, needs and aspirations can be very tightly integrated into the Center’s approach paper. We have now decided to decentralize the planning process itself. We will now go to the Panchayats and villages to discuss what they want as development projects in the next round of planning. The people of Sikkim will tell us what they need most.

I see a major role for the Hon’ble members of the House to facilitate this process. Let us take Tashiling to Ralong and Yuksam and Mamley village. Then we will have nothing but success and satisfaction. When the fruits of development reach the hearth of the poorest of the poor in the village, then only we can afford to rest. Then only all the Sikkimese people will be able to bask in glory and true satisfaction.

My government considers both these Reports to be the "wealth of the people, by the people and for the people of Sikkim." I take this solemn opportunity to place these Reports before the Hon’ble members of the House and also dedicate the same to the people of Sikkim.

Since well-known publishers from New Delhi have published both these Reports, they will have a worldwide circulation. I am sure it will generate a range of debate and discussions across varied geographical boundaries on the progress we have made in all fronts. Let us be fair in expecting that these Reports will also arouse a significant amount of interest among the donor agencies, private sector, non­governmental and other development agencies across the world. There would be many follow-up actions required for which we need to be prepared.

I make a warm and sincere appeal to all the Hon’ble members of the House to read these Reports as thoroughly as possible. Please analyze the findings in these Reports from your perspective and come up with fresh and innovative ideas. The Hon’ble members of the House have great advantage based on first-hand experience in dealing with the development needs of the people. We should therefore, endeavor to collectively implement the recommendations of these Reports.

Let these Reports be read by villagers, students, government officials, professionals, businessmen and industrialists, army men, politicians and all the members of the civil society. Let these Reports be the basis of a serious intellectual debate and discourse among the Sikkimese. We are translating the same into Nepali language for a large, quicker and meaningful dissemination.

The Hon’ble members of the House will be delighted to know that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee has kindly consented to release both these Reports in New Delhi on the 5th of September 2001. Perhaps this is for the first time that the Prime Minister will be releasing two major intellectual contributions from Sikkim. These Reports will certainly go a long way in our support to the building of modem as well as future India.

On behalf of the Hon’ble members of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly and on my behalf, I would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to the au1bors of these reports and their distinguished advisors and team members. We would also like to mention that we would look forward to many such intellectual proactivities that will bring Sikkim and the Sikkimese people on to the world map.

I would like to thank our administration and other civil society members who were widely consulted. The Chief Secretary, past and present, has guided the whole process. The Development Commissioner and his team both in the Planning Department and in the Bureau of Economics and Statistics have contributed immeasurably in the collection of information and facilitation of research. I am sure that they are now a satisfied set of people who have seen 1be fruits of their labor out in print and being dedicated to the people of Sikkim. I understand we have built up capacity to bring out such reports more quickly in the future. Other heads of departments, who went out of their way to collect needed inputs and data, to them also goes our deep appreciation. I now encourage a1l of them to use these Reports in development The will of the people of Sikkim is in­built in these Reports.

I also fervently seek the support and blessings of the entire House to implement all these recommendations, which will transform Sikkim into a vibrant and robust economy. Let us not be found wanting when as a result of this exercise we are ca1led upon to achieve more for the people of Sikkim.

Politics should be played constructively. I would like our friends in the opposition also to help us create a new and prosperous Sikkim I personally feel distressed when some of our politician friends do not like constructive engagement. Let us work together. After all we are all people's representatives and meant to serve the people.

Finally, let me appeal for dedication. Dedicate our work to our people.

It has been said and I quote:  "It does not take great men to do great things; it takes dedicated men. Ordinary men, sufficiently dedicated, can do extraordinary things". I ask for your dedication. Life is an echo, a1l comes back-The good, the bad and the truth. So give the world the best you have. And the best will return to you.

                  Jai Sikkim! Jai Bharat!