Country's 1st GSDP Marketing Outlet under ENVIS scheme inaugurated at Sikkim ENVIS Hub, Forest Secretariat premise at Deorali, Gangtok by the Hon'ble Minister Forest Shri Karma Loday Bhutia and Shri Arun Kumar, Sr. Economic Advisor, MoEF&CC on March 7,2022.
The Honourable Minister Forest Shri Karma Loday Bhutia and Shri Arun Kumar, Senior Economic Adviser of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India today inaugurated the GSDP marketing outlet of Sikkim ENVIS Hub at Forest Secretariat premises in Deorali, Gangtok. The inaugural function was also attended by Chief Conservator of Forest Shri N W Tamang, Conservator of Forest (Territorial) Shri Karma Legshey, Director of Forests Shri B B Gurung, Director of Science & Technology Shri D. T. Bhutia, Joint Director Mrs Kusum Gurung along with team of Sikkim ENVIS Hub and about 60 GSDP beneficiaries and subject experts from across the state.
The marketing outlet featuring the products of Green Skill Development Programme includes bamboo crafts, organic honey and beekeeping tools, briquettes, organic manure and skilled manpower resources for outsourcing services for solar PV installation and so on. The products displayed for sale in this outlet are prepared by green skilled manpower from rural communities. The outlet intends to provide marketing opportunities to these beneficiaries for generating a source of livelihood through sustainable development initiatives. So far 425 local youths, school dropouts and farmers from Sikkim State have been benefitted through the Green Skill Development Programme under the ENVIS scheme funded by the Ministry.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister expressed gratitude to the Ministry for the continued support and encouraged the beneficiaries to continue producing marketable products by harnessing the green skills acquired. Sikkim ENVIS Hub has been implementing four GSDP courses namely forest fire management, beekeeping, bamboo crafts and solar energy systems since 2019-20.
Shri Arun Kumar, Senior Economic Adviser of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change who is on a two day visit to Sikkim ENVIS Hub also interacted with the GSDP participants and took stock of ENVIS activities in the State. Appreciating the overwhelming feedback from the GSDP participants and Sikkim ENVIS team Shri Arun Kumar in his address mentioned that the objectives of the ENVIS scheme are being delivered to satisfaction.
Subject experts such as Biodiversity and livelihood expert Dr Bharat Kumar Pradhan, Dr Tika Prasad Sharma, Shri Tseten Tashi Lepcha also spoke on the importance of ENVIS scheme in the state and highlighted its contribution in several R&D activities through publication of knowledge products, information dissemination, livelihood support activities and so on, all forming important part of environment conservation and protection activities in the state.
Earlier, the dignitaries during the inaugural of marketing outlet also presented 100 garbage bags for mainline taxi vehicles through the Indira Bye Pass Taxi Driver’s Association as a part of ongoing Plastic Waste Awareness Week. The dignitaries also launched the signature campaign on green pledges as a part of the campaign steered Sikkim ENVIS Hub, Forest and Environment Department.