Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Wednesday said that the 6.8 Richter scale earthquake
which hit the state on September 18 has taken the state back
by five to seven years in terms of development.
Sikkim suffered extensive damages in the earthquake which
has taken back the state back by five to seven years in terms
of development but we are committed to rebuild the state,
Chamling told the one-day winter of the Sikkim Legislative
assembly.
Sikkim Government has also submitted a report to the
Government of India for grant of Rs 6890 crore for relief and
rehabilitation process, he informed.
More than 90 people died in the earthquake.
Chamling thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for
visiting the state in the hour of need and for announcing an
immediate relief package of Rs 1000 crore to the state. He
also thanked Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for visiting
the state and announcing a grant of 50 crores as well as the
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and host of other
dignitaries for their support to the state.
During the legislative business hour, Chamling who is
also the Minister-in Charge for Finance Revenue and
Expenditure Department introduced the Sikkim Online Gaming
(Regulation) Amendment Bill, Bill 2011 which was unanimously
passed by the House.
Chamling further informed that the state Government
announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of
the deceased person and Rs 20,000 each to the injured persons
during the Rangchang Bridge collapse on December, 19.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 20:00