KNOW INDIA INDIAN STATE : SIKKIM Fact File Geographical Area Capital Population (2011) (fig.

in persons) Literacy Rate Principal languages Religions Annual rainfall 3.42 (lakh sq. km) Gangtok 6,07,688 82.20 Nepali, Bhutia, Lepcha, Limboo, Magar, Rai, Gurung, Sherpa, Tamang, Newari Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity 2000mm to 4000mm

Advantage Sikkim

Availability of quality power supply Abundant water Harmonious labour relationship Availability of technical/skilled manpower Investor friendly atmosphere Excellent transport and communication network Attractive package of incentives The prospect of opening up trade route through Nathula border provides immense investment potential

Economic Infrastructure Road

The total road length of the state is 2,383 km including 41 km of National Highway.Gangtok is connected by roads wi Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri and also with all the district headquarters within Sikkim. Railways

The closest railway stations are Siliguri (113 km) and New Jalpaiguri (125 km) connecting Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Luckno and other important cities. Aviation

There is a helicopter service between Gangtok and Bagdogra heavily subsidized by the state government. The state has als initiated construction of number of helipads to connect the districts and sub-divisional headquarters and important touri places. Social Infrastructure Health

In the capital of Sikkim, there is one state hospital that is Sir Tashi Namgyal Memorial Hospital with a strength of 300 bed and qualified doctors for all the special fields. In the state of Sikkim, there are all together 147 Primary Health Sub Center (PHSC), 24 Primary Health Centers (PHC), 4 Community Health Centers (CHC) and 400 bedded Central Referral Hospital cu Medical College in collaboration with medical group. There is one Leprosy hospital at Sajong, Rumtek. Achievements in Health Care Services Here are some of the achievements made by the Department in the delivery of health care services to the people-

De-addiction-cum-treatment Centre for drug addicts and alcoholics is under construction at STNM Hospital, Gangtok. School Health Programme that was initiated in the year 1979 was made more comprehensive in nature and coverag It covers students from class I to V with services like immunisation, health check up, health education and teache training. Every year primary school teachers are also trained under this programme. Similarly, 15 schools und Rangpo PHC have been taken up under National School Health Programme Under the programme, free distribution of oral dehydration salt packets are also done for severe cases through all th hospitals, PHCs and PHSCs. These packets are taken even to the doorsteps of the rural people through trained heal guides. About 30,000 packets are distributed annually. To bring about a better health status among mothers and children, nutrition programme is being implemente throughout the state. There are two components of the programme viz. Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SN and Mid Day Meal Programme. Under the SNP, pre-school children and pregnant & nursing mothers are provided wi food. Under the National Programme for control of blindness, free cataract operations are performed at STNM hospital. Family Planning Services are provided free of cost to all the eligible couples through the Hospitals, PHCs and PHSC Teams of doctors and paramedical staff have been trained for laproscopy operations. The team caters to all the fo districts. Sophisticated equipment have been received free of cost under the German Community Grant for the use of STN Hospital, Gangtok. Successful free Cataract Eye Camp and Intraocular lens implantation were organised at Singtam and Namchi collaboration with the Foundation Eye Care, Himalaya, and Netherland, Nepal. Free medicines and free diet in all the hospitals and PHCs have been a great incentive for the rural people to avail health services. Treatment for ailment for which facilities do not exist in the State are referred for treatment outside Sikkim an financial aid provided by the government. This is a unique feature of the state. Although greater stress has been given to primary health care, curative aspect of health has not been neglected. T ease the congestion in the OPD Clinics, new emergency cum OPD complexes has been added to the old building. F better diagnostic and treatment facilities, sophisticated equipments like Gastroscope, Ultrasound, Omniscope hav been provided. Specialised services in the field of medicine, surgery anesthesia, orthopedics, paedritic ophthalmology, dental, dermatology and psychiatry have been added. Super-specialty in Cardiology with intensiv coronary care unit has also been introduced. A state level Blood Bank and Transfusion unit with facilities for HIV screening has also been set up.

Education

Sikkim has a literacy rate of 69.68 per cent (2001 census) against all India literacy rate of 64.8 percent.The male literacy ra is 76.73 per cent and female literacy rate is 61.46 per cent.

The state has 531 primary, 118 middle (junior) schools, 77 secondary schools, 43 senior secondary schools and 2 pub schools. Apart from this there are 2 degree colleges, 1 each of engineering college, medical college, law college and shed Also it has 50 monastic schools, 12 Sanskrit pathshala and 1 each of madarsa, teachers training institute and industri training institute.

For higher education the state has following educational Institutes, which are the specialized for giving the city a base of high

educated manpower and which will enable the state to move rapidly into the information age Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Institution Sikkim Govt. College, Tadong, Gangtok Sikkim Govt. College, Namchi, South Sikkim. Sikkim Govt. Law College, Kazi Road, Gangtok SHEDA (Buddhist Education) Tibetology, Deorali, Gangtok Research Gangtok Institute of Institute Constituency Rumtek Damthang Gangtok Affiliated To North Bengal University North Bengal University North Bengal University S.S.V, Varanasi S.S.V, Varanasi North Bengal University North Bengal University Manipal University of Health, Technology and Medical Sciences Manipal University of Health, Technology and Medical Sciences -

of Rumtek

Tibetology,

Deorali, Rumtek

Loyola College of Education, Namchi, South Damthang Sikkim. (Missionary Institute) (Now. Govt.) Damber Singh College, Deorali (Now. Govt.) Rumtek

Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, Tadong, Rumtek Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Tadong, Rumtek Sikkim Institute for Handicrafts, Gangtok Industrial Technical Institute, Rangpo. Gangtok Central Pendam