GANGTOK, April 27 � The Centre has ranked Sikkim as best State in the country in the category of smaller States for its outstanding performance in strengthening and developing the panchayati raj institutions (PRI�s) in the State.
Union Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Ramesh and Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Tribal Development V Kishore Chandra Deo recently presented Panchayat empowernment and incentivising scheme (PEAIS 2011-12) award to CB Karki, Sikkim Rural Management and Development Minister during the conference to celebrate the National Panchayat Raj Day function in New Delhi recently.
Sikkim bagged the five prestigous national awards in the function and the State was awarded Rs 1.36 crore by the Union Government. Zila Parishad South district was presented best performing district award in the function.
Sikkim Rural Management and Development Minister Karki said that the State Government has prepared a comprehensive and holistic planning and budgeting framework in the form of �Village Development Action Plan� with the active assistance of Professor Bernard Dafflon of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
He said that 70 per cent of the State budget is provided for the development of the rural areas of the State for overall growth of the areas.
