Programmes Implemented

Grants-in-aid to Monastic Schools & Sanskrit Patshalas

A present there are 99 nos. of Monastic Schools and nine nos, of Sanskrit Patshalas under the department.

1. Annual contingent grant of Rs. 5000/- enhanced to Rs. 10,000/- per annum from the year 2005, is being given to each of the Monastic Schools and Sanskrit Patshalas for purchase of stationery/misc. expenses.
2. School buildings for the Monastic schools and Sanskrit Patshalas are being constructed at a cost of Rs. 18.00 Lakhs each.
3. Salaries of the teachers of Monastic Schools and Sanskrit Patshalas have been periodically enhanced from Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 3000/- pm (w.e.f. 01.04.2003 vide Notify. No. 760/EA Dt: 16.09.2003) to the present amount of Rs. 5000/- pm (w.e.f 01.04.2005 vide Office Order no. 126/EA Dt: 03.08.2005).
4. Students of Monastic Schools and Sanskrit Patshalas are being provided mid-day meals along with free uniforms, text books and exercise copies every year.
5. The Government has also approved enhancement of stipend of the students of the Traditional Arts School, Tadong from Rs. 200/- & Rs. 300/- pm to Rs. 700/- and Rs.900/- pm respectively w.e.f 01.04.2012.

Grants-in-aid to Monasteries/ Manilhakhangs and Lhakhangs

As per notification no. 79/ASG/EA/ Dated : 22.04.2003 the annual subsidy Grants to a total of 258 nos. Monasteries/ Manilhakhangs and Lhakhangs has been enhanced category-wise as under:

1. Rs. 12,000/- per annum to 18 nos. Monasteries under Category"A".
2. Rs. 6,000/- per annum to 78 Medium Monasteries under Category"B".
3. Rs. 3,000/- per annum to 143 nos. Manilhakhangs under Category"C".
4. Rs. 2,000/- per annum to 19 nos. Lhakhangs/ Tsamkhangs under Category"D".

Hon'ble Chief Minister's 42 days Tour

Following HCM's 42 days Tour to different parts of the State, a total sum of Rs. 11,98,70,000/- has been sanctioned as Grants-in-aid to 554 nos. various religious institutions for the current financial year. The district wise break-up is as under:

District	Number of Institutions	Amount
North	36 nos	Rs. 59,50,000/-
East	209 nos	Rs. 04,95,40,000/-
South	164 nos	Rs. 04,35,30,000/-
West	145 nos	Rs. 02,08,50,000/-

The above is inclusive of Rs. 05.00 Lakhs each released to Pemayangtse, Tashiding, Dubdi, Tholung and Enchey Gonpas for restoration of broken religious statues following the earthquake of 18/September/2011 as also Grants released to Labi, Linchom and Shotak Gonpas.

Sanction intimation to the beneficiary religious institutions have already been issued, and the Grants-in-aid cheques will be released on Submission of requisite documents indicated therein. It would be desirable if the said cheques are collected within the month of January 2012, in order to avoid problems of revalidation etc later on.

Grants-in-aid for Construction of Religious Institutions

Financial assistance of Rs. 15.00 Lakhs(Rupees fifteen Lakhs) and above have been extended for construction of the following religious institutions during the previous fin years :

Name of Institution	Amount
Namchi Ngadak Gonpa, South Sikkim	Rs. 8.59 Crores
Maniram Gonpa, South Sikkim	Rs. 15.00 Lakhs(2009-10), Rs. 10.00 Lakhs(2010-11)
Jawbari gonpa, South Sikkim	Rs. 15.00 Lakhs(2009-10), Rs.10.00 Lakhs(2010-11)
Shakti Sthal, Tamleytar South Sikkim	Rs. 15.00 Lakhs (2009-10)
Sirdi Sai Baba Mandir, Assangthang	Rs. 15.00 Lakhs(2009-10)
Rabongla Sai Mandir	Rs. 15.00 Lakhs(2009-10)
Krishna Pranami Mandir, Namphing	Rs. 15.00 Lakhs (2009-10)
Siddhi Vinayak Mandir, Rhenock	Rs. 50.00 Lakhs(2010-11)
Doma Lhakhang Khechoedpalri	Rs. 29.00 Lakhs (2010-11)

Grants-in-aid to other Miscellaneous Religious activities/ Institutions

1. The Ecclesiastical Affairs Department also assists other religious organizations in holding various 'Tenchi Shyabtens' on various occasions especially on occurrence of natural calamities.

2. Vide Notification no. 2099/EA Dated: 05.03.2003 the Government has been pleased to notify that 50% of the revenues collected from the erstwhile Monastic estate of the six Premier Monasteries is to be paid to the respective Monasteries. However, in view of the delay in receipt of details from the various departments, a token amount is earmarked in the Departmental Budget for each of the six Monasteries as under:

Pemayangtse Monastery	Rs. 90,000/- p.a
Tashiding Monastery	Rs. 18,000/- p.a
Ralong Monastery	Rs. 68,000/- p.a
Rumtek Monastery	Rs. 18.000/- p.a
Phensang Monastery	Rs. 18,000/- p.a
Phodong Monastery	Rs. 18,000/- p.a

3. Outside the state of Sikkim, the Eccl. Affairs Department manages the Sikkim Temple-cum-Guest House at Bodhgaya, Bihar and the Sikkim land at Sarnath, in Uttar Pradesh and also Ging Gonpa and Dotchuk Gnpa in Darjeeling.

4. Preliminary site inspection etc. has been carried out recently for building a Temple-cum-Guest House at Sarnath and a Temple/ Gonpa at Bodhgaya in co-ordination with the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, Government of Sikkim.

5. The Devastating earthquake which rocked the state on 18.09.2011 has severely damaged a number of Gonpas, Temples, Churches and other religious institutions. Initially 124 nos. of religious institutions were reported to be damaged by the earthquake. Subsequently the number has increased to 259 nos. A comprehensive list of the institutions that sustained damages has been compiled by the department as per the reports received and forwarded to the Land Revenue Department for immediate relief and to the Buildings & Housing Department for preparation of DPRs etc. The latter has estimated the cost for reconstruction/ repairs of the affected religious institutions at Rs. 328.45 Crores.

6. Following recent visit of HCM and CS to Delhi a sum of Rs. 40.00 Crores is reportedly being considered by the Ministry of Culture, GOI, for reconstruction/ repairs of the damaged monasteries of Sikkim in the first phase.