Gangtok: Chief Minister of Sikkim,PS Tamang inaugurated Jorethang Maghey Mela (Makar Sankranti on Sunday,describing it as a significant part of the state’s culture.
The festival ,marked by a holy dip on the confluence of Rivers Rangeet and Tista ,saw a huge gathering of devotees from Sikkim and neighbouring States and countries.
Addressing the gathering Tamang said the Maghey Sankranti Mela has been taking place since ages and should continue. ‘In 2020 we had celebrated it in a grand manner ,but subsequently due to the pandemic we could not celebrate the oldest ancient Mela ,here. The peoople ought to manage it themselves instead of looking up to the government for sponsoring the event,” he said.
Earlier,he launched a mobile vet clinic and laid the foundation stone of a university and a cancer institute.
“The present govenrment has been developing not only the developed areas further, but also focusing on the underdeveloped regions.The university,will be coming up at Zoom, an underdeveloped rural area. The cancer institute will benefit not only people in the neighborhood, but also the people from across the state,neighbouring areas and,Nepal,Bhutan and Bangladesh.There will be no need to rush patients to Mumbai,Vellore or even Delhi once the oncology Institute starts functioning,’ added Tamang.
According to him’ both the university and the oncology Institute are expected to upgrade the economy of Zoom and Karfectar.
Informing the people about the declining birth ratein Sikkim, he said it of grave concern. “The government will begin several initiatives to manage the issue of declining fertility/birth rate by providing benefits to government employees and incentivise people outside the government sector to maintain a healthy birth rate.Child care facility would be started in government offices,” he said.
