Union Agri Minister on three-day Sikkim visit

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala has commended the Sikkim State Rural Management Department for being the only one to implement Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) scheme in its full capacity.
The 100 per cent success in the implementation of the scheme reflects the inclination and total involvement of officers of the rural management department and the panchayat fraternity, Rupala, also Union Minister of State for Farmers Welfare and Panchayati Raj, said.
The Minister, who is on a three-day visit to the Himalayan state, also said that the 10 per cent enhancement in the planning fund for all the states from 32 per cent to 42 per cent is a huge incentive to carry out schemes and programmes for rural development.

At the same time this would mean that the Centre may have to withdraw certain schemes but he assured that the ongoing schemes and programmes would not suffer and would be completed in stipulated time.
He also lauded the state for being the leading state in the country in organic farming, cleanliness and being the first open defecation free state in the country.
Speaking on the demand for organic products, he urged the state to focus more on marketing of such products and added that more emphasis should be laid on medicinal plants. ' The minister also expressed his appreciation for the evolution of social auditing in the state and called it a noble initiative. Some of the best practices of the state in rural development are exemplary and worth sharing with other states.

The union minister assured that his ministry would sincerely look into the proposals submitted by the state Rural Management Minister S B Subedi.
Subedi had earlier submitted a memorandum of demands concerning panchayati raj in the state and requested Rupala to condier them.