Union minister Ramdas Athawale hails Sikkim’s low BPL population, zero inter caste marriage atrocities

Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment is currently on a visit to Sikkim as part of review meeting of schemes under ministry of social justice and empowerment. 

Athawale appreciated Sikkim’s low population count under below poverty line hailing the current Sikkim Krantikari Morcha government led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay, highlighting the alliance with National Democratic Alliance. 

He also appreciated the State’s next to none atrocities against inter caste marriages in the State. “I learned that inter caste marriages in the State are prevalent and there are next to no atrocities in the State against inter caste marriage with only cases reported in the past. These are exemplary efforts of the State towards social justice and empowerment”. 

Athwale also highlighted various initiatives for the Divyang in the State with 18,000 Divyangs identified as beneficiaries for various national level schemes. “Divyangs in the State will be receiving kits worth Rs. 7000 which will be as per their need be it a wheelchair, ear devices, as well as pensions for senior citizens”, said MoS Social Justice.

The Union Minister also hailed the State’s housing initiatives for rural and urban poor labelled as Sikkim Garib Awas Yojana wherein houses worth Rs. 21 lakhs are constructed by the State government under social justice department. 

Athwale also batted for caste based census in the country highlighting how census has not been carried out since 2011 due to COVID 19 pandemic in 2021. “There is a demand for Other Backward Class census but census is carried out for every community and religion and it is mentioned in every general census. As per 2011, schedule caste community account for 16.66 percent of country’s population, while 8 percent of population are identified as schedule tribe in the country. The census will help the government what benefits are enjoyed by the citizens post independence, what is their status so far and what more needs to be done”, he said. 

Athwale also established his Republican Party of India in Sikkim with Namgyal Bhutia as its president, claiming, “We are part of the NDA alliance and so is SKM party in Sikkim. The formation of our party in Sikkim will also be in alliance with SKM party here as part of the NDA”. 

Athwale, who had intention of meeting Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay failed to do so, with the latter being in New Delhi to extend invitation to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 50th Statehood celebration in Sikkim on May 16. He congratulated the State for the 50 years of democracy.

Following the review meeting, Athwale called on Governor Om Prakash Mathur at Raj Bhawan on Sunday evening.