The Sikkim government has banned eatables being served on stage, except water, at official programmes and directed that normal chairs with cushions, instead of sofas, be used at such events.

S.D. Dhakal, the principal secretary to Sikkim chief minister P.S. Golay (Tamang), issued a circular to the effect on Wednesday.

“No eatables except water shall be served in the stage during the functions. Seating arrangements to be made using normal chairs with cushions instead of Sofa,” reads the circular.

The government departments were also directed to ensure that all programmes were short and precise and completed within the stipulated time limit.

A good spread of dry fruits, traditional snacks and fruits on stage is not uncommon at both government and political events in the Himalayan state. Setting up massive sofas for VIPs has become an unwritten norm at the Sikkim functions.

“Apart from austerity, a more grounded image of the Golay government is the goal of the directives,” said an observer.

During his earlier five-year tenure in the chief minister’s office, Golay had directed that no fancy cars — higher than a Scorpio — be used by the elected members of his government.

The Sikkim government on Thursday signed an MoU with Government e Marketplace (GeM).

GeM, under the Union ministry of commerce, is the one-stop online platform for procuring goods and services for all central government undertakings, state governments and affiliated institutions, including cooperatives.

In the financial year 2023-24, procurement of goods and services through GeM surpassed the ₹4 lakh crore mark, said a statement issued by the Sikkim government.

The MoU was signed by A.V. Muralidharan, chief buyer officer (states and Union territories), GeM, and Tarun Kumar Sharma, chief accounts officer of the home department, Sikkim.