‘Mero Rukh Mero Santati’ conferred SKOCH Award 2024

Government of Sikkim’s flagship initiative “Mero Rukh Mero Santati", a brainchild and novel initiative of Shri Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), the Hon'ble Chief Minister, has been conferred with the prestigious SKOCH award 2024. SKOCH award is known for its rigorous and independent outcome based assessment process.

To mark this milestone, the award ceremony was organized in New Delhi for national award winners on November 30, 2024. The award on behalf of State Government of Sikkim was received by Mr Pradeep Kumar IFS, Secretary, Forest and Environment Department. “ Mero Rukh Mero Santati’ was presented as a Himalayan Harmony and Policy Innovation for a Carbon Neutral Sikkim. This policy innovation of 'Mero Rukh Mero Santati' (MRMS) initiative involves plantation of 108 trees to commemorate birth of every child in Sikkim. The programme anchors itself on five pillars viz. (i) Emotional bondage between parent and child; (ii) Spirituality; (iii) Celebration; (iv) Growing together; and (v) Environmental legacy and Carbon neutrality.

The initiative has already been widely acknowledged and appreciated both nationally and globally for its novelty. The initiative gains much more significance in the contemporary times in view of the rising pollution in cities like Delhi, where even breathing is becoming a challenge. The current situation brings out this moot point that just the physical wealth and good education is not enough for our children to live happily. We have to leave a clean environment too for our future generation. “ Mero Rukh Mero Santati’ not only fosters an emotional bondage between communities and nature but also aims at bequeathing a green legacy and carbon neutral Sikkim for future generations. This is the best life time gift the parents can give to their children.