By IANS,
Gangtok : Sikkim Chief Minister and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) chief Pawan Chamling has promised he would implement policies for the youth if his party was returned to power in the April 30 state assembly elections.
The next term of the SDF will be youth-centric and focussed on making the young capable and skilful, Chamling said, addressing a campaign meeting at Pakyong in East Sikkim Wednesday.
The government will invest Rs.100 crore – 10 percent of the state’s budget – on the youth and various schemes and programmes aimed at ensuring that they were empowered strongly enough to secure bright futures for themselves, he said,
The future requires a generation that prioritises social engagement and service, and also engages in political debate and activism, Chamling said, also warning them to be wary of “opportunistic leaders who prey on communal and caste insecurities.”
Chamling also clarified that the ministers or legislators who were not given tickets this time had not “fallen out of favour”.
“These leaders are experienced now and will be handling important responsibilities within the party to strengthen the SDF even further,” he said.
Among other promises, he said that should the SDF return to power, by June, it will issue a notification ensuring community-specific reservation for the Bhutia-Lepcha community on the same lines as the seat reservation they enjoy in the Assembly.
The meeting was also addressed by Gnathong-Machong candidate L.M. Lepcha and the SDF’s Lok Sabha candidate P.D. Rai.