| Economic Plans
During the economic plans special efforts were made to develop agriculture
on scientific lines. With the initiation of economic plans an agriculture
department was established to look after the progress and development
of this vital organ of the economy. Improved varieties of seeds and
fertilizers were distributed in all parts of the country and trained personnel
were posted at various places to assist the cultivator in day-to-day matters
relating to increased agricultural production. Pesticides were also distributed
in areas where crops suffered from insects and pests.
Many personnel from Sikkim were trained in different
agricultural research institutes of India. During the second plan a 200
acres (about 80 hectares ) seed multiplication farm for paddy, maize
and vegetables was developed at Gyalshing. Another 150 acres (about 60
hectares) potato seed farm was set up at Ribdi in western Sikkim. Farmer
orientation schemes were accelerated in the third plan. To save the valuable
crops of paddy, maize, cardamom and oranges from insects and pests an
extensive Plant Protection Scheme was successfully introduced.
The Government of Sikkim passed two acts, one
preventing land-owners from terminating the cultivating rights of the
tillers and receiving more than half of farm produce as share or rent
and the other restraining the land lords from selling or other wise
interfering with land. This gives the tiller of the land a real
sense of security against the menace of the feudal land lords. The
Sikkim Government has initiated a plan of land survey and have also
succeeded in procuring S.F.D.A (Small Farmers Development Authority)
project for the entire state. |
