The document provides an overview of economics and the economy of Sikkim, India. It defines economics as dealing with production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and examines how individuals and groups allocate scarce resources. It then defines an economy and describes key aspects of Sikkim's economy, which is mainly based on agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism, tea production, and hydroelectric power. Sikkim has seen growth in its tourism industry over the years from around 6,000 domestic tourists in 2002 to over 19,000 in 2010. The document also shares statistics on land usage and production for various crops in Sikkim.
2. WHAT IS ECONOMICS?
• Economics is a social science that deals with the production, distribution and
consumption of goods and services. It studies how individuals, businesses,
governments and nations make choices about how to allocate resources.
Economics focuses on the actions of humans, based on assumptions that
humans act with rational behavior, demanding the most optimal level of profit
or usefulness. The building blocks of economics are the study of labor and
business. Since there are many different ways of obtaining many potential
applications and resources of human labor, it is the task of economics to
determine which methods produce the best results. Economics can generally
be broken into macroeconomics, focused on the behavior of the entire
economy, and microeconomics, which focuses on individual people and
businesses.
3. WHAT IS THE ECONOMY?
• An economy is a large set of inter-related
production, consumption and exchange
activities that help determine how scarce
resources are allocated. The production,
consumption and distribution of goods
and services are used to meet the needs
of those living and operating within the
economy, also known as an economic
system.
4. ABOUT SIKKIM• Sikkim is a state of north-east India. It borders
China's Tibet Autonomous Region in the north
and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the
west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also
close to The Siliguri corridor of India near
Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populated and
second smallest among Indian states. A part of
the eastern Himalayas, Sikkim is notable for its
biodiversity, which includes alpine and subtropical
climates, as well as hosting Kangchenjunga, india's
highest peak and the third highest on Earth. The
capital and largest city of Sikkim is Gangtok. About
35% of the state is covered by Khangchandzonga
National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
5. SIKKIM ECONOMY -
INTRODUCTION
• The economy of Sikkim is mainly based on agriculture and animal husbandry. About
11% of the total geographical area is under agriculture. Agriculture is of a mixed
type and is still at subsistence level rather than commercial level. As per census
1991, the workforce participation rate is 40.44%. The women participation rate in
Sikkim is also much higher than the national average. This is an important aspect if
productivity is low in the mountain economy and therefore all able-bodied people
are employed in agriculture and other activities. The percentage of farmers for
more and more people in the state is 57.84%. Overall, agricultural workers
constitute only 7.81% of workers in the state, house hold and other industries are
negligible, but other workers (tertiary sectors) at the state level show a good
percentage of the population. The declining proportion of worker at the state level
indicates a low level of economic diversification.
6. As per the budget for 2020-21, Rs 611.11 crore (US$82.38 million) were
allocated for the development of agriculture and allied services sector. Sikkim
will become self-reliant in foodgrain production within the next five years. The
geographical and environmental conditions of Sikkim are conducive to the
development of floriculture at higher altitudes. The state is also considered to be
a state of flowers and is an innovator in the cultivation of gladiolas. Tourism in
Sikkim has emerged as the new profession of the people of Sikkim with its vast
natural potential. The promotion of village tourism, homestay, cultural tourism,
trekking tourism, ecotourism, wellness tourism, flori-tourism and adventure
tourism has promoted tourism trade in the state, where a large number of
people are engaged under various employment opportunities. On January 30,
2019, the Union Tourism Minister inaugurated the first project under Swadesh
Darshan Project at Zero Point in Gangtok, Sikkim.