GANGTOK, (IPR): Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay inaugurated the
Scheduled Caste Bhawan on the special occasion of 134th birth anniversary of Dr
BR Ambedkar here at Development Area, Gangtok today.
The
construction of the Scheduled Caste Bhawan which began on June 2017 saw its
completion on March 2025. The seven-storey infrastructure boasts various state
of the art facilities like basement with parking facility, vocational room, male
& female dormitory, kitchen hall with pantry, VIP longue and elevator
facility. The bhawan is also equipped with multiple halls wherein various
functions can take place.
The
Chief Minister in his address applauded the contributions of Dr BR Ambedkar towards
upliftment of the Scheduled Caste community and towards the country through his
selfless effort.
Speaking
on the new SC Bhawan, the Chief Minister said that the members of the community
should have spirit of ownership towards the bhawan, otherwise it will become a
mere concrete structure. He thanked the efforts of All Sikkim Scheduled Caste
Welfare Association (ASSCWA) for bringing their vision of having their own
building come to fruition. Touching the subject of maintenance of the building,
he encouraged the executive members to commercialise the building by renting it
for various departmental programmes to generate fund.
Speaking
on the context of various communities in Sikkim, the Chief Minister said that
his administration has completed all the pending construction of buildings of
various communities in Sikkim. He further assured that this attitude of the government
towards preservation of culture of various ethnic communities in Sikkim will
continue in the near future.
The
Chief Minister assured the gathering that his administration will leave no
stone unturned in supporting students for board examinations and civil service
examinations.
The
Chief Minister announced various initiatives aimed at uplifting the Scheduled
Caste community:
•
An annual grant-in-aid of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to the association under
the Chief Minister’s Discretionary Grant (CMDG) starting this year.
•
Five additional seats under the Chief Minister’s Meritorious Scholarship Scheme
(CMMS) will be reserved exclusively for Scheduled Caste students from
underprivileged backgrounds.
In
his concluding remarks, the Chief Minister assured the members of ASSCWA that
his government will support them in all their endeavours and hoped that the
Scheduled Caste Bhawan will be more than a concrete structure in the coming
days.
The
MLA Zoom Salghari-cum-Advisor Transport department, Madan Cintury thanked the
Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, MLAs and distinguished guests for their
unwavering support in construction of the Scheduled Caste Bhawan on behalf of the
ASSCWA. Further, he thanked the Chief Minister for his continual support
towards Scheduled Caste community and hailed him as the messiah of
underprivileged section of the society.
ASSCW Apresident Bikash Sunam in his brief address
gave detailed report on history of the construction of the building. He
highlighted various uplifting initiatives taken by the government under the
leadership of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay. In his address, he also
mentioned the officers and members of ASSCWA who strived hard for completion of
the Scheduled Caste Bhawan.
The
programme also featured a traditional dance and Jhewrey Nirtya by Gagan Dance
Academy.
The
inaugural programme had the presence of cabinet ministers, MLAs, advisors, chairperson,
Mayor GMC, Deputy Mayor GMC, zilla panchayats, councillors, panchayats, head of
departments, officers and officials of various line departments, and members of
ASSCWA.
