West Sikkim emerging as floriculture destination

Soreng,West Sikkim, May 30 (UNI) West Sikkim, an emerging tourist spot, is endowed with the right climatic conditions for debelopment of floriculture and horticulture.

Recognizing the dual potential, the four constituencies of west district-- Chakung, Soreng, Daramdin and Rinchenpong -- have collaborated together for the development of tourism and floriculture.

Their resolve has been further boosted as the belt of constituencies has been declared as a 'cymbidium orchid' belt in the state.

After a seminar on development of tourism for Chakung, Rinchenpong, Daramdin and Soreng constituencies in Soreng, a day-long awareness workshop was held for floriculture and horticulture promotion at Soreng under the initiative of tourism minister R.B.Subba.

The seminar was organized by a local body where self-help groups, NGOs, students and local persons were given various presentations by the senior officials from the agriculture and cash crop development department.

Speaking on the occasion agriculture department minister Somnath Poudyal said, ''The upper regions of Chakung, Soreng, Rinchenpong and Daramdin areas of West Sikkim are declared as cymbidium belt.'' He announced that the areas would receive a consignment of 300 species of cymbindum seeds worth Rs.15 lakhs.

Mr Poudyal also assured help for exposure tours and training workshops for the interested farmers and societies of the region.

''Floriculture should be adopted for commercial benefits by the communities for self sustainance and the people should be ready for to go into this sector,'' Mr Poudyal said.

As regards to marketing of the floriculture and horticulture products, he said that the state government is working to create market linkages both nationally and internationally by tying up with foreign organizations like the Dutch Consortium.

Mr Subba said the objective the day-long seminar was to bring in awareness among the people especially the students and educated unemployed youth about the vast potential for self-income in floriculture and horticulture sectors.

He also urged the people to prepare themselves for the international flower festival to be held at Gangtok in 2008.

Sports minister P.S.Goley highlighted the unlimited benefits in private sectors and said the people should tap into such areas instead of pinning hopes in government jobs.

UNI XC TJP AKP0937