Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on May 16 said Sikkim was entering a new phase of development focused on quality, sustainability, youth empowerment and long-term economic growth as the Himalayan state celebrated its 51st Statehood Day.

In a detailed public message issued on the occasion, the Chief Minister extended greetings to people of Sikkim across the world and described the day as a moment of “immense pride, gratitude and celebration” for every Sikkimese. He said the state had emerged as a model of peace, harmony, environmental protection and inclusive development over the last five decades.

Tamang referred to the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the closing celebrations of Sikkim’s Golden Jubilee year and said the visit reflected national recognition of the state’s developmental journey since its merger with India in 1975. He said projects worth more than ₹4,000 crore were inaugurated or announced during the visit.

“The Hon’ble Prime Minister described Sikkim as the ‘heaven of the East’ and praised Sikkim as a model of sustainable development, environmental conservation, organic farming, cleanliness and peaceful coexistence,” Tamang said.

The Chief Minister said Sikkim’s next stage of progress would focus on improving quality in education, healthcare, employment, sports, entrepreneurship and infrastructure while creating better opportunities for youth.

He said the government was investing heavily in sports infrastructure and youth development through initiatives linked to schemes such as Khelo India and FIT India. Tamang highlighted the revival of the State Sports Academy at Paljor Stadium and ongoing plans for the Tarundeep Rai Archery Academy and a boxing academy named after Olympian Jas Lal Pradhan.

The government is also developing the Swarna Jayanti Sports and Cultural Complex, which will include a football stadium, indoor stadium and high-performance training centre.

On employment and skill development, the Chief Minister said more than 13,500 candidates had been trained under programmes such as PMKVY and DDU-GKY, with over 11,000 placements achieved so far. He added that the government was expanding overseas employment opportunities through the Chief Minister–ELEVATE Scheme and foreign language training initiatives.

“A recent milestone under our international mobility efforts is the successful overseas placement of 13 trained nurses in Germany,” he said.

Tamang also highlighted the growth of the MSME and startup ecosystem in Sikkim. According to him, registered MSMEs in the state increased from around 250 units in 2019 to over 35,000 units in 2026. He said schemes aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs and rural enterprises were helping create self-employment opportunities across sectors.

The Chief Minister said Sikkim remained committed to sustainable development and environmental conservation. Referring to Sikkim’s status as India’s first fully organic state, he said more than 76,000 hectares of farmland had been brought under chemical-free cultivation. He also mentioned climate resilience efforts, including India’s first demonstrative Glacial Lake Outburst Flood mitigation plan for Shako Chho.

In the healthcare sector, Tamang said major improvements had been made since 2019 under the “Health for All” approach. He referred to the inauguration of the 500-bed Namchi District Hospital and the 100-bed Mangan District Hospital, along with expansion of super-speciality services at STNM Hospital in Gangtok.

The Chief Minister said Sikkim had also established its first tertiary cancer care centre and strengthened dialysis, cardiac care and mental health services. He added that thousands of patients had benefited from financial assistance schemes for treatment within and outside the state.

On education, Tamang said Sikkim had become the first state in the country to implement a kindergarten system in all government schools. He said efforts were underway to improve foundational learning, vocational education, science teaching and higher education opportunities.

The Chief Minister also highlighted tourism growth, saying Sikkim recorded a tourist footfall of 17.2 lakh visitors in 2025. Ropeways, eco-tourism projects, battlefield tourism initiatives and the Mega Homestay Scheme were among the projects mentioned in the statement.

Tamang said rural development, road connectivity, drinking water supply and sanitation continued to remain major priorities of the government. He noted that Sikkim had been declared India’s first ODF Plus Model State in 2023 and that over 4,600 kilometres of roads had been constructed under PMGSY.

Concluding his message, the Chief Minister called upon citizens to work together for a “Sunaulo, Samriddha ani Samarth Sikkim” and contribute towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

“Today, we stand proud of how far we have come together as a people, and even more ready to shape the future with courage, ambition and renewed resolve,” he said.