Chamling announces pension for organic farmers

Gangtok, April 3 (PTI): Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling today announced monthly pension for farmers engaged in organic farming in the state. Sikkim is the first fully organic state in the country. “Our farmers involved in organic farming will get a monthly pension of INR 1000,” he said addressing a public meeting at Mangan, the North Sikkim district headquarters. Chamling is on a 32-day tour of the Himalayan state, beginning from the sparsely-populated North Sikkim district to gauge the popular mood ahead of the assembly polls due next year. Chamling asked officers to take up organic vegetable cultivation as a hobby and thereby bring in qualitative change in their lives. The Chamling government has banned sale and consumption of non-organic agricultural and horticultural products comprising cereals, vegetables, spices and fruits. Chamling stressed on rapid development on other fronts as well and said that he has undertaken a 32-day tour to take stock of development at the ground level in the state. “Our government believes im coming to the doorsteps of the people to understand their problems and fulfill their needs and is mentally interconnected with the ordinary people,” he added.