Sikkim road, rail connectivity projects to be completed by 2023: Minister

Capital road and rail connectivity projects of Sikkim will be completed by 2023, Union Minister for Development Of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy said.

Addressing the 47th Statehood Day of Sikkim Celebrations in New Delhi on Thursday, Reddy assured of every possible support from the central government to the state.

The Centre and state governments in the North East will work in tandem to ensure the overall development of the region, he said.

"Sikkim received its first airport at Pakyong in 2018...the Capital road and rail connectivity projects will be completed by 2023," he said.

Hailing Sikkim for being the first state in world to record 100 per cent organic farming, the minister said it was the perfect example to show that development and environment sustainability can go hand in hand.

This was the first occasion where Sikkim's statehood day was celebrated at a national level ever since it officially became an Indian state on May 16, 1975.

The function, which was organised at Amphitheatre ground in South Delhi's New Moti Bagh, was also attended by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and Governor Ganga Prasad.

Tamang expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for giving high priority to the development of North East region, including Sikkim, an official statement said.