ANNUAL PLAN 2002-03
Introduction

1. INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Sikkim is a small India State in the eastern Himalaya, lying between 270 04’46" and 280 07’48" north latitude and 880 58" east longitude. It is a unique mountainous state encircled by three different international boundaries. To its west lies Nepal, Bhutan and the Chumbi Valley of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, the people’s Republic of China in the east, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council of West Bengal, in the south, and the Tibetan Plateau of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, the People’s Republic of China in the north it extends approximately 114 Km from north to south and 64 Km from east to west with altitude ranging from 300 to 8598 masl having 447 villages comprising mainly three ethnic groups namely Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese Mount Khangchendzonga located in Sikkim is the third tallest mountain in the world Sikkim is a part of upper Teesta basin. The main tributary of the Teesta river is the Great Rangit river. The State is endowed with wealth of biodiversity comprising of 144 species of mammals, 39 species reptiles, 11 species amphibians, 48 species of fishes, 550 species of birds, 700 species of butterflies and months and 4500 species of flowering plants. Most important and remarkable among the Sikkim Himalayan floral assemblage is the varied forms of orchids (45 species) and rhododendrons (36 species), which are found within its myriad folds of valleys.

The year 2002-2003 is the first Annual Plan of 10^th Five Year Plan for the period from 2002-2007. An amount of Rs 1655.74 crores is approved for the 10^th Five Year Plan for the State of Sikkim.

The State Government had submitted a proposal for 721.80 crores to the Planning Commission of India for the C.F.Y. The approved Annual Plan for the year 2002-2003 is Rs 350.00 crores.

The Approved amount of R 350.00 crores consist of following components:-

(i) Normal Central Assistance    Rs 233.97 crores

The other components consists of Externally Aided Projects and Additional Central Assistance of which details are as under:-

a. Additional CA for EAP	Rs 16.00 crores
b. PMGSY other than Rural Roads	Rs 30.00 crores
c. AIBP	Rs 1.50 crores
d. BADP	Rs 5.72 crores
e. State Highways (Roads	Rs 1.08 crores
f. Slum Development	Rs 1.20 crores
h. Accelerated Power Dev. & Reforms Programme (APDRP)	Rs 18.00 crores
Strengthening of Urban Infrastructure (SUI)	Rs 0.10 crores
j. Grant under article 275(I)	Rs 0.33 crores
k. Tribal Sub plan	Rs 1.08 crores
l. One Time ACA for VRS	Rs 7.00 crores
m. One Time ACA for preparation of DPR for Siliguri Gangtok Highway	Rs 3.00 crores

As discussed and agreed with the Planning Commission of India the Govt. of Sikkim has been able to make additional resource mobilization of Rs 20.00 crores which has also been added to the annual state plan thereby raising the total plan size to Rs 370.00 crores.

The State Government has given a high priority to poverty elevation programmes. Emphasis is given to bring down the rate of poverty to national level. Programmes like employment guarantee schemes are under full swing for the benefit of the poor specially rural poor.

Rural communication being of vital importance for overall development of the state and state economy totally dependent on road communication as the only means of transport in the hill state, the Govt. this year has decided to strengthen the existing state and district highways including the village link roads.

Education is another priority sector in the annual plan for the current year. The State Govt. is trying its level best to reduce the school dropout rate. To raise literacy level to the targeted 85% within the 10^th Five Year Plan the State Govt has upgraded number of primary schools to secondary schools and secondary schools to senior secondary schools. Besides this a number of new primary schools are being taken up. This year we propose to provide training to the teachers in a large scale to ensure quality education in the schools.

Tourism is another priority sector in the State to attract more tourists in the State, projects like Samdruptse, Solophok, Chemchey and artificial lake at Utteray are under progress. On completion of these projects, we expect more number of tourists in the State.

In the power sector, the State is not self sufficient. Although a number of ambitious power projects are under progress in the State, the state is still importing power from the national grid. We expect to e self sufficient in power sector once the project under preparation and the others presently under implementation are completed.

Health is another area of concern as we need to create more infrastructure under this sector. We propose to bring down child mortality rate to 20 per thousand at the end of 10^th Five Year Plan. With this objective the Government is strengthening the paramedical wings and improving immunization system. Project proposal for construction of a 500 bedded new referral hospital at Gangtok is under active consideration of the Government.

Under Social and Poverty elevation programmes the schemes like food subsidy to the people below poverty line, old age pension, social housing schemes etc. are continued.

The State has also been provided funds under the Non-lapsable Pool to meet the requirement for infrastructure gaps in the Power, Roads, Flood Control, Rural Development, Urban Development, Education, Water Supply & Sanitation and Sports & Youth Affairs sectors.

From the year 1998-99 to 2002-03, a total of Rs 213.42 crores has been sanctioned for projects under the Non-lapsable Pool and funds are being released based on progress made. Upto the year 2002-03, the State has been released funds to the extent of Rs 146.63 crores.