Sikkim chief minister P.S. Tamang (Golay) declared on Sunday that two new districts Soreng and Pakyong would be created by carving out the existing West and East districts, respectively, by next year.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying of a community health centre (CHC) at Soreng, Golay said the upgrade of Soreng and Pakyong subdivisions to districts could have happened this year itself, but couldn’t because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We will upgrade Pakyong subdivision and Soreng subdivion to districts by 2022,” he said.
Sikkim now has four districts.
The chief minister, who was born in Soreng and had represented the Chakung Assembly constituency from the area for three terms, said he was in favour of upgrading the subdivision not because it is his birthplace, but because both in terms of its geographical area and population, the place deserved to be a district. “Even before the formation of our government, we had declared it in our election manifesto,” he sai
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) president and state chief minister P. S. Tamang (Golay) on Monday might have shot himself in his foot by suggesting it was his party workers who had been reaping the benefits of his one-and-a-half-year old government.
Addressing SKM’s “Rolu Divas” programme in South Sikkim, Golay had his foot-in-the-mouth moment while urging SKM workers to be patient and keep their faith in the party and government.
“Today, who are supplying school uniforms? It is SKM workers. Who is supplying books? It’s our SKM workers. And, who is supplying copies? SKM workers,” he said, citing some other examples where his party workers have benefited.