Sikkim yet to utilise untapped hydropower potential, says CM Tamang

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday said the Himalayan state till now has utilised only 27.5 per cent of its 8,000 MW power potential.

He was speaking at the Business 20 (B20) conference organised

as part of India's G20 presidency.

" We have only utilised 2,200 MW till now and the scope for Hydropower, clean and green energy is ample in Sikkim, said the chief minister at the conference on Opportunities for multilateral business partnership in Tourism, Hospitality, pharmaceuticals, and organic farming.

Urging the delegates to consider Sikkim as a good investment destination, Tamang said a total of 55 pharmaceutical companies from within the country are currently established in the state.

Delegates from 24 countries will participate in the B20 conference being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tamang told a press conference on Wednesday.

"Organic Tourism is what Sikkim can offer, we are the first organic state in the world and have been recognised by the United Nations. We would like to urge the participants today to deliberate on what Sikkim can give to the nation and the world" the chief minister said.

The Himalayan state will host the StartUp20 conference on March 18 and 19.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to let Sikkim host the two events B20 and Startup 20 has given a boost to the state's economy, said the chief minister.

Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission and Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog, said that B20, the only engagement group under the G20 umbrella, will take the group forward and build an articulate link and ecosystem.

Noor Rahman Sheikh, Joint Secretary (Economic Diplomacy), Ministry of External Affairs, said that Sikkim has inherent advantages in pharmaceuticals and the Centre has great faith in the states of the northeastern region.

"Sikkim is a favourable place for investments and its potential is immense. The Northeast states have so much to give," he said.