Calcutta, Dec. 26 :     Sikkim chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling today urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to expedite development of the tiny Himalayan state. ?Sikkim has potential, but we need assistance from New Delhi to tap this,? he said. Chamling said Sikkim would promote exports and imports with China on a large scale if border trade with China was opened up through Tibet. He emphasised the need to upgrade the existing communication links with Tibet for this purpose. He sought Assam-type concessions and subsidies to develop industries in the backward state. Chamling also sought adequate funds from the Centre to improve the state?s tourism sector. He said Bagdogra airport near Siliguri should be developed into an international airport as it serves the Northeast including Sikkim as well as Nepal and Bhutan. The chief minister urged Vajpayee to increase Sikkim?s representation in both Houses of Parliament. At present, Sikkim has one member in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha. He also requested Vajpayee to ensure reservation of seats for ethnic Sikkimese of Nepalese origin and Tsongs (Limbos) in the state Assembly. Chamling demanded that the notification seeking to enforce the direct tax laws in Sikkim be withdrawn. Describing the infrastructure of the state as poor, the chief minister said an alternative national highway should be opened up to connect Gangtok with Siliguri via Darjeeling, Jorethang, Namchi, Song and Ranipul. ?The Border Roads Organisation was entrusted to carry out a feasibility study in March after the Centre accepted the idea in principle,? he added. The chief minister said the state has requested the Centre to provide a grant of Rs 55 crore for setting up transmission lines to facilitate distribution of power from the central grid.