Gangtok, Feb 19: A delegation from the Government of Sikkim, led by Minister for Social Welfare Samdup Lepcha, participated in the two-day Chintan Shivir on February 18–19 at Nalanda University, Rajgir. The delegation included Secretary Sarika Pradhan, Chief Engineer Thinley Gyatso Chankapa, and Special Secretaries Satyen Pradhan and Bandana Chettri from the Social Welfare Department.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, brought together senior officials, policymakers, domain experts, and stakeholders from across the country to deliberate on key policy priorities and programme implementation strategies for minority welfare. The programme was chaired by Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, along with Minister of State George Kurian and Ministers from Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Bihar, and Sikkim.

The first day of the Shivir featured registration, briefing sessions, thematic presentations, and discussions led by experts from institutions including IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd., IIT Delhi’s Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, and the Survey of India. The day concluded with thematic discussions and a cultural programme.

On February 19, the programme began with a yoga session, followed by an inaugural ceremony attended by dignitaries from Central and State Governments. Key initiatives launched by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju included the PMJVK App, Haj Suvidha Smart Wrist Band, and the Ministry’s AI Chatbot Portal.

Focused Group Discussions were held across five thematic areas: Infrastructure Development, Socio-economic Empowerment, Waqf Management, Haj Management, and Scholarship Schemes. These discussions provided a platform for officials to share field experiences, identify implementation challenges, and propose actionable policy recommendations.

Speaking at the event, Minister Samdup Lepcha expressed gratitude for the health and educational projects sanctioned by the Ministry that have strengthened minority welfare in Sikkim. He also highlighted challenges in implementing PMJVK and PMVIKAS projects, presented a status report on the Buddhist Development Project, and requested further support for health, sports, and educational infrastructure.

The Shivir concluded with thematic consolidation and closing remarks by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who praised Sikkim for timely implementation of development projects and emphasised the importance of coordination between Union and State Governments to ensure inclusive development and effective programme delivery for minority communities.