''We will not allow smuggling of arms, ammunition or any illegal items from either Myanmar or Bangladesh. My government has enforced strict vigil along the two international borders,'' he told reporters after inaugurating the Mizo boys' hostel and new Mizoram House here.
Mr Thanhawla, who returned to power in 2008 after the Mizo National Front government, headed by former rebel leader Zoramthanga, said, ''Mizoram had become a free state of gun running and counterfeit currency after I took over as the Chief Minister.'' In the past, the Chief Minister had said, smuggling of arms and counterfeit Indian currency was a major security concern, but it no longer was the case now as peace has once again returned to Mizoram.
''All such persons involved in smuggling have been identified over the years and has been arrested, so there are no reports of such cases now,'' Mr Thanhawla claimed.-UNI
This view was highlighted in a seminar organised by the MTP in Aizawl Press Club after presentation of a paper on ‘Who is most important for good governance’ written by C.H. Thangkhuma.
The participants were also of the view that the leader required by Mizoram is a courageous person who dares to take action against corrupt persons and violators of the law without caring for the next election.
In a review on the past governments rampant corrupt practices, the MTP viewed that most of the former ruling parties had caused enough damaged to the society. In the recent past, the state witnessed connivance with militants in a bid to capture power while other parties were busy with distribution of easy money for a short term political gain.
Participating in the discussion, the MTP chairman, K. Sapdanga asserted that MTP never seeks for power and position and its interest is good and efficient government which can live up to the expectation of the people.
The celebration for this purpose was held after a certificate received from International Organisation for Standardization (ISO). In this connection, the state health minister expressed gratitude to the doctors and the hospital staff who made untiring effort for standardization of the hospital. He also asked the staff to continue the same zeal and enthusiasm in future.
To get the certification of International Organisation for Standardization, the hospital constituted 11 member Internal Auditors 2 years ago. Under the guidance of the Auditors, the doctors and Hospital staff made efforts for all round improvement of the Hospital. The certificate was received on 16th December last year after inspection by Indian Register of Shipping and Indian Register Quality System but it was formally handed over to the Aizawl Civil Hospital on Feb 18th last.
A joint meeting of central Young Mizo Association, Mizo Hmeichhe (women) Insuihkhawm Pawl, Mizo Upa (senior citizens) Pawl, Mizo Zirlai (students) Pawl and Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute (church leaders) Committee here yesterday agreed to submit a memorandum to the Centre demanding status quo on the PAP.
In a bid to 'woo foreign tourists', the Centre on December 31 lifted the PAP from these three states to allow foreigners to enter the states without any restrictions for a period of one year.
The order came after a joint delegation of the Manipuri Association of Canada and Local Support Group submitted a memorandum to the Home ministry on December 28.
The Mizoram NGOs felt that the Home ministry should have sought the consent of the people of Mizoram before lifting the PAP, which it did after meeting just two organisations representing the neighbouring state of Manipur.
The Mizo NGOs feared that the lifting of PAP would prove detrimental to the social security of the tribal people of Mizoram.
They also feared that the lifting PAP would further jeopardise the Inner Line Permit/Regulation that safeguards the indigenous people from assimilation since the British time.
While non-Mizo Indians have to get Inner Line Permit (ILP) foreigners are required to get Protected Area Permit (PAP) to enter into Mizoram.
The NGOs also wanted amendment of some guidelines in the PAP, regarding strict restrictions on the movement of foreign missionaries in the Northeast India. -UNI
Since all shops remain close on Sundays in the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram, people swamped cards and gift shops here on Saturday, two days ahead of Valentine's Day.
All the card-and-gift shops in the city said their sales skyrocketed by more than one hundred per cent on Saturday.
''My shop is flooded with people, most of them youngsters, buying cards and gifts for their lovers. My sales have increased by many folds, may be more than one hundred per cent,'' said a shopkeeper at Hustler, one of the oldest gift shops in the city.
''We are expecting more on Monday, which is Valentine's Day, as it has been a tradition to buy cards and gifts on the day itself,'' she added.
A gift shop next to Hustler said besides cards, they sold huge quantity of heart-shaped chocolates, which prices ranged from Rs 80 to Rs 250.
Other big cards-gift shops like Archies, Hallmark, and Glitz also said that their sales have gone up considerably, compared to the last three years.
The tradition of sending cards on the occasion of Christmas and New Year had virtually faded with the advent of mobile phones as SMS greetings killed the good old cards. However, when it comes to Valentine's Day, people seem to find SMS or e-mail too untrue to express their loves.
''Our sales of cards were almost nil for the last two or three Christmases, as well as Valentine's Days. But, this year our sale has considerably gone up as people have seem to realise the true romance that lies in the cards,'' said a shopkeeper at Archies Gallery.
He said among the gifts, teddy bears and crystal balls topped their sale.
The gifts items sold at the Archies Gallery are anything between Rs 50-Rs 1000, and most of the shoppers are between 13 to 18 years.
While the cheapest cards are sold at Rs 20, the costliest cards cost Rs 299.
Flower shops owners are another people who benefit from the 'Day of Love'.
''Giving flowers, particularly roses, to loved ones has become popular on Valentine's Day. We have ordered additional packages of roses for this special day,'' said a shopkeeper at Zopar, which sells home-grown roses, anthurium and other flowers.
He said 3,500 packages of roses were sold on Saturday alone and another 4,000 packages would arrive for Monday.
While the markets are flooded with gifting options, some couples are opting for a quiet lunch or dinner to make the occasion special.
''I and my boyfriend will be going out for a candle-light dinner at a out-of-the-way restaurant instead of giving each other cards or gifts,'' said Irene, a teacher.
Even as the youngsters are making a great fuss about Valentine's Day, it was only a few years back when it made its presence felt in the Christian-dominated Mizoram despite that it has its origins in the Christian tradition.
For Muanpuii, a 50-year-old housewife at Chanmari in Aizawl, Valentine's Day had nothing to do with her romance with her lover, who is now her husband.
''We never realised that such special day ever existed. We sent each other love letters when we were distances apart,'' she said.
But, her 18-year-old daughter just can't do without sending her dear one 'something' on this Day. ''I will send a special gift and a card to him,'' she confessed.
Her parents have also no objection to it neither does the Mizo society, known for its intolerance to liquor and partying.
In a press release, the outfit’s commander-in-chief SS Haokip appealed to both the Government of Mizoram and HPC-D to sincerely take the peace dialogue to its logical end for a lasting peace, development and harmonious co-existence among the Chin-Kuki-Mizo fraternity in Mizoram in particular and elsewhere in general.
The UKLF further appealed to the Mizoram Government and all right thinking CHIKIM people in Mizoram to extend their bit of contribution in fostering unity and fraternity among the CHIKIM group residing in the State of Manipur so that the ongoing Suspension of Operation between Government of Manipur, Government of India on one side and armed Kuki UGs under UPF and KNO and subsequent political dialogue is brought to its logical end.
~ TSE
“I believe in listening (and then) implementing. I believe that the youth, comprising more than 40 per cent of our population should come into politics,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Later, the congress leader inaugurated a girls’ hostel inside the Mizoram University campus.
Related:
» Rahul Gandhi asks youth to participate in politics – Sify.com
~ Samaw.com
February 2nd, 2011: In Mizoram, as the officials refused to provide information under the RTI Act, accessing information has become a costly affair for common people as they need to go for appeals. This writer has not received information in 9 RTI applications. Appeals have been made before the concerned Appellate Authorities in three cases but all ended in absence of any response.
The cases where information has been denied are as follows:
1. On July 12, 2010, I filed an RTI application with the SPIO, Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Mamit district via speed post seeking year-wise amount of flood relief released by the government of Mizoram to Silsury village in Mamit district during 2000-2010 and list of beneficiaries. But the SPIO, V L Remliana, Sub Divisional Officer (Sadar) failed to provide any information. On 23 November 2010, I filed first appeal before the Deputy Commissioner, Mamit, but have not received any information as of date. On 31 January 2011, the second appeal was filed before the State Information Commission.
2. On October 1, 2010, I filed an RTI application with SPIO, District Project Coordinator, Mamit by speed post seeking the appointment letter of a SSA teacher and the performance reports submitted by the concerned Village Education Committee with regard to the SSA teacher. On 23 November 2010, the first appeal was sent via speed post but I have not been provided any information as of date. On 31 January 2011, I filed the second appeal before the SIC.
3. On August 12, 2010, I filed an RTI application by speed post with the SPIO, SSA Mizoram, Aizawl regarding alleged arbitrary and illegal dismissal of a SSA teacher but received no information. I made the first appeal on 23 November 2010 but I have not been provided any information. On 29 January 2011, I filed the second appeal before the SIC.
4. On August 16, 2010, I filed RTI application by speed post with the SPIO, SSA Mizoram, Aziawl regarding alleged arbitrary and illegal dismissal of another different SSA teacher. No information has been provided.
5. On August 12, 2010, I filed an application with Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi regarding border fencing compensation in Mizoram. The application was forwarded to Deputy Commissioners of Lunglei, Mamit and Lawngtlai vide letter F. No. 11013/39/2010-BM.III dated New Delhi the 19th August 2010. But so far information has been provided only by Lunglei DC office.
6. On July 16, 2010, I filed an RTI application with the Ministry of Minority Affairs, New Delhi seeking information about the scholarship provided to the minority students in Mizoram. On 21 July 2010, the application was forwarded to Smt. L Tonchhang, Principal Secretary, Education and Human Resource Development department, Govt of Mizoram, Aizawl vide letter no. 18/2/2010-RTI/PP(PPR) dated New Delhi the 21 July 2010. No information has been provided till date.
7. On September 22, 2010, I filed an RTI application with social welfare department, government of Mizoram seeking the reasons as to why old age pension has not been provided to two senior citizens who belong to BPL family. The application was sent by speed post but has received no reply.
8. On September 22, 2010, I filed an RTI application by speed post with the District Rural Development Agency, Mamit district seeking information as to why a beneficiary of IAY was not given IAY grant although his name appeared in the DRDA order dated 15th March 2009. But no information has been provided till date.
9. On September 22, 2010, I filed an RTI application with Office of Child Development Project Officer, West Phaileng, Mamit seeking information about appointment of Angwanwadi workers in Silsury village. The letter was sent by Speed Post but no information has been provided till date.
It is needless to say that Mizoram government has failed to put up the particulars and contact details of the Appellate Authorities in each department’s website. Even the website of Mizoram State Information Commission, http://msic.mizoram.gov.in/ is not functioning and hence redundant.
Further, in the Mizoram RTI Rules, 2006 the applicant must pay fee of appeal by way of court fee stamp. The fee is also quite high: Rs 40/- for first appeal and Rs 50/- for second appeal. In short, accessing information through the RTI Act has become a costly affair for common people as they need to go for appeals.
In August 2010, Aizawl-based anti-corruption watchdog People’s Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (PRISM) came down heavily on Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who had stated that appointing a State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) was a waste of public money as the people of Mizoram did not fully use the RTI Act.
Contrary to the Chief Minister’s claim, what is emerging is the fact that the RTI officials in Mizoram are denying information to the applicants without the fear of the law. The public servants appointed as RTI officials have no right to deny information when the applicant has paid the statutory fee of Rs 10/- to the government in the first place. It is time Chief Minister of Mizoram and State Information Commission took strong notice of the rampant practice of not honouring the RTI Act and ensure that appropriate punishment is meted out to the erring RTI officials as provided in section 20 of the RTI Act.
Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, information must be provided “as expeditiously as possible, and in any case within thirty days of the receipt of the request.” (Sub section 1 of section 7). But in Mizoram state, accessing information is increasingly becoming a tedious and expensive process as officials of various departments have been refusing to provide information.
If any application is rejected, the State Public Information Officer must communicate to the applicant providing the reasons for such rejection under sub section 8 of section 7. Denial of information is punishable office under section 20 of the RTI Act. Yet, the SPIOs are less concerned. Even appeal before the Appellate Authority yielded little.
The Centre tends to take the peaceful situation in the state for granted, he told the conference of chief ministers on internal security here.
"Since my state has devoted a large portion of its meagre resources to the maintenance of internal security at the expense of curtailing other development activities, I feel that it will be a mistake for the government of India if the genuine requests for fund remain unattended.
"There is a feeling among the general public that the government of India tends to take the peaceful situation of the state for granted," he said.
The contributions made by Mizoram in preserving peace and security resulted in heavy expenditure which could have been spent for development purposes. In a way, this is a selfless dedication made by my state which deserves recognition, he said.
"Even though my state remains one of the most peaceful states in the country, there is no ground for complacency as we are sandwiched by two foreign countries and being surrounded by states where militancy and insurgency exist.
"In spite of our heavy expenditure for maintaining security and peace, we have been deprived of fund under Security Related Expenditure (SRE). This is an injustice which needs to be redressed," he said.
He requested the government to provide Rs 31 crore needed for capital cost of building infrastructure for permanent battalion headquarters of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Indian Reserve Battalions from the budget of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio requested the Centre to "do away with" the additional requirement of MHA verification for passport applicants from the state.
"The smuggling of arms and ammunition and contraband from across the border is cause for concern. The long and porous international border makes it difficult to effectively control such activities. Securing the international border makes it difficult to effectively control such activities.
"Securing the international border should, therefore, be given top priority. Therefore, in my view, the national interest will be served if the government in consultation with the Myanmar government undertakes intensive development of infrastructure in these areas which are inhabited by the same ethnic groups," Rio said.
He also said that the state has pending SRE claims of Rs 162.06 crore out of which claims of Rs 103.88 crore are pending with the Central government and the rest with state governments.
The committee has also instructed all the jhum farmers to burn their cultivation before March 15. The primitive slash and burn method of cultivation, or jhumming, in Mizoram has led to a massive destruction of forests and innumerable forest fires causing loss of human lives every year. According to figures provided by the environment forest department relating to 10 out of the 14 territorial divisions, at least 17,046.33 hectares of forest was swallowed by forest fires allegedly caused by jhumming.
Jhumming is still prevalent in Mizoram and other hilly states of the northeast as around 80 per cent of the Mizo farmers, which comprised about 30 per cent of the total 10 lakh population, depend on the practice in the absence of irrigation.
Farmers, however, say jhum burning is not the main cause of the forest fire. Rather, it is mainly the handiwork of some miscreants who torch the dry leaves for fun or some cattle grazers who wanted early growth of green grasses. Though some agriculturists think that jhumming is necessary as the ashes of burnt trees and leaves restore the soil balance, environmentalists argue that the extent of devastation it causes to the forests is not worth it.
Some agriculturists say that the soil of Mizoram, like in the other mountainous areas of the region are sour and the ashes of the burned forests helped to repair the soil imbalance to make them fertile for cultivation. ''This can, however, be substituted with slaked lime or other salty chemicals,'' agriculture experts say, adding that the sate government has to take a keen interest in order to put an end to the slash and burn system of cultivation. The Congress government has just launched an ambitious New Land Use Policy with an objective to put an end to the destructive jhumming and provide an alternative sustainable development model for the farmers.
PL Thanga, vice-chairman of NLUP apex board, said, ''The ambitious NLUP project would provide alternative sustainable land-based livelihood to the farmers, thereby keeping about 60 percent of the land under green forest cover.'' While the forest cover in Mizoram is still the highest in the country, state environment and forest department officials said the national data in regards to the state were only superficial.
According to a recent survey report by the state remote sensing application centre here, there is only 3,158.57 sq km of dense forest which is totally virgin and not yet used for cultivation in Mizoram accounting for a merely 14.98 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.
The survey report says that the state has a medium dense forest area of 2,628.08 square km which is 12.46 per cent of the total land area and 3,738.57 sq kms of less dense forest area consisting of 17.73 per cent of the state's geographical area.
Along with Mizoram, the entire north eastern region is facing wanton degradation of forests and a recent study shows that 6.3 million hectares of forests in the region was affected of which four states- Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh contributed around 72 per cent.
Of the 35,636 blood samples tested during 2010, 1223 persons were tested positive for HIV, of which 830 persons contracted the virus through unprotected sex, Mizoram State Aids Control Society (MSACS) reports said. While 348 HIV positives detected during last year contracted with the disease through intravenous drug use (28.45 per cent), 25 of them were infected through their mothers.
The cause of infection for 20 others (1.64 percent) could not be confirmed. Of the 1223 new HIV cases detected during last year, 545 were 25-34 years of age while 337 were aged between 35 to 49. While 273 were aged between 15 to 24, there were 28 persons below 28 and 40 persons above 50 years of age, according to the reports.
From October 1990 to December 2010, 1,33,186 blood samples have been tested for HIV/AIDS and fount that 5312 have been affected by HIV. There are 538 persons with full blown AIDS while 177 persons, including 73 females have died of AIDS. MSACS deputy director Dr Zothankhuma Chhakchhuak informed that the trend is on the increasing and it's a matter of great concern to check the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state. --UNI
On the occasion of the 119th anniversary of the Chin-Lushai Conference, the umbrella organisation for Zo tribes across the region resolved here on Sunday to appeal to the Mizoram Legislative Assembly to take necessary steps for adoption of the UN Declaration by the Indian Parliament.
Zoro is an organisation that stands for re-unification of all Zo tribes scattered across the Northeast region, including Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Since its formation in 1988 at Champhai in eastern Mizoram, Zoro has been struggling to bring the Zo tribes, divided by the British, under one single administrative unit.
''The Britishers convened the famous Chin-Lushai Conference at Fort Williams in 1892 and decided to amalgamate the Chin-Lushai country.
The process of bringing Zo people, who are now divided in three countries of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh, under a single administrative unit is not realised till today,'' R Thangmawia, Zoro president, said in his speech on Sunday.
Zoro had been observing the anniversary of Chin-Lushai Conference every year since the last two decades.
Zoro is optimistic that its objective can be achieved within the framework of Article 36 of UN Declaration 2007. (UNI)
Addressing a State Credit Seminar 2011-2012 organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in Aizawl last week, Lal Thanhawla underlined the need for giving short term credit support to the farmers including those who get financial assistance from the New Land Use Policy (NLUP), a flagship programme of the Lal Thanhawla led Congress ministry in Mizoram.
He also asked the bankers to open atleast 14 branches in the rural areas where there is no banking facility before the end of March 2012.
On problems being faced by the bankers in repayment of bank loans, Lal Thanhawla stressed the need for proper explanation of the terms and conditions of the loan to the loanees. He said, this is the responsibility of the sponsors.
The tour was organised by Ministry of Home Affairs under the aegis of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs and Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mizoram Zone.
The team called on State Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla here on Thursday. Expressing happiness at the team’s visit, he said that despite being from different social, cultural, religious and economic backgrounds, all of us should take pride in being Indians first and foremost and advised the visiting youths to work for the country’s progress and development, fostering the bonds of brotherhood and universal love among different communities.
The Chief Minister said that at times, peoples’ geographical knowledge is so poor that they fail to place Mizoram as a part of India but expressed hope that the youths would add to their knowledge about the rich heritage of our country through travel programmes like the current one.
The Bharat Parikrama team had also an interaction session with prominent citizens and important government officials at the I & PR Auditorium. The team also visited Falkawn, a typical Mizo village, the Aizawl Theological College, Mizoram University, the 10th Assam Rifles among others.
~ AT
In the wake of the lifting of PAP from three Northeast Indian states--Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (Mizo students' association) today convened a meeting of all major NGOs and political parties of Mizoram on the issue.
All of the representatives of NGOs and political parties, though restrained from speaking on behalf of the organisations they represented, expressed fear that the lifting of PAP would ultimately lead to the lifting of the Inner Line Permit/Regulation that safeguards the tribals of the Northeast state from assimilation.
In a bid to 'woo foreign tourists', the Centre on December 31 lifted the PAP from these three states to allow foreigners to enter into the states without any restrictions for a period of one year.
The order came after a joint delegation of the Manipuri Association of Canada and Local Support Group submitted a memorandum to the home ministry on December 28.
There had been an attempt to lift the PAP in 1994 which invited strong opposition from all political parties and NGOs in Mizoram.
At this juncture, then Union home minister S B Chavan went on a record saying, ''No innerline restriction would be imposed while restricted/protected area permit requirement for foreigners is lifted, as that would mean welcoming foreigners while keeping out Indians.'' While non-Mizo Indians have to get inner line permit (ILP) foreigners are required to get protected area permit (PAP) to enter into Mizoram.
The ILP, in particular, has drawn much criticism from many Indians as it prevented them from entering the state without getting prior permission.
''While many Indians have been complaining about the requirement of a permit to Mizoram, the relaxation of entry permit for foreigners will certainly result in yet another litigation to do away with the Inner Line Permit/Regulation under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873,'' V L Krosshnehzova said in a keynote address.
All of the speakers, except for one, shared the views of the MZP president and expressed fear that the lifting of PAP would be a threat to the social security of the tribals of the Northeast Indians which has been protected since the British time.
''The ILP's aim is not to harass or prevent entry of non-Mizo Indian nationals per se but to secure the future of the natives by protecting the sanctity of their socio-cultural rights, preventing demographic upheaval leading to invasion of their political bastion by the 'outsiders' which has been the case with Tripura,'' said a senior politician.
The meeting also expressed resentment over the Centre making such a crucial decision (to lift the PAP) following a pressure from just two organisations in Manipur, without consulting the people, or for that matter, any organisations in the two other states concerned.
The Mizo organisations also disagreed with the grounds on which the Centre claimed to have lifted the PAP, that was to 'boost' tourism industry.
''Sikkim has emerged as one of the major tourism hot spots in India. Not only the Protected Area Permit, but also Restricted Area Permit is being enforced in Sikkim. Therefore, the Centre's pretext is meaningless,'' Lalmuanpuia Punte, vice-chairman of North East Students' Organisation, said at the consultation meeting.
Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, the PAP is enforced in some parts of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim and the entire states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Similarly, the RAP, under Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, is enforced in the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In Sikkim, the RAP covers areas uncovered by the PAP.
--UNI
Addressing the first ever state-wide wet rice cultivation farmers' meet at Electric Veng YMA Hall here, Mr Lal Thanhawla said his government has put a major thrust on agriculture to make the state self-sufficient.
''We cannot expect Mizoram to have big industries. Therefore, agriculture is the government's major thrust area. The government has taken major initiatives to develop irrigation, power, terrace cultivation, cold storage and agriculture market in its ambition to make Mizoram a self-sufficient state,'' he said.
To encourage wet rice cultivators, the chief minister said that power tillers and tractors were distributed to farmers with 75 per cent subsidy.
Emphasising that agriculture is a noble profession, the chief minister said no nation or country can be respected unless it is agriculturally self-sufficient.
''It is shameful that the people of Mizoram, whose forefathers were self-sufficient in rice, have become fully dependent on PDS rice. We have to regain that past glory,'' he added.
Stating that the Mizoram government has launched the new land use policy to do away with the destructive slash-and-burn cultivation and save the ecology, Mr Lal Thanhawla stressed on the responsibility of the beneficiaries for the success of the ambitious project.
Agriculture Minister H Liansailova, who graced the occasion as the guest of honour, said the declaration of 2011 as the year of bumper rice harvest is a great challenge for the farmers. The urged the farmers to help achieve the goal.
Around 532 wet rice cultivators from the eight districts of the gathered at the meet.
--UNI
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Aizawl, Jan 16 : Jhum cultivation, a bane of Mizoram, will change into settled agriculture in five years and poverty will be removed from the State in 10 years, State Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla promised on Friday while launching the ambitious Rs 2,873-crore New Land Use Policy (NLUP) here.
Addressing a crowded audience at Vanapa Hall here after unveiling the NLUP website, the Chief Minister said the project aims to provide permanent livelihood to 1,20,000 jhumia families within the coming five years. He also announced that there would be no below poverty line (BPL) families in the State after 10 years.
Later, speaking to newsmen at his office chamber, Lalthanhawla informed that a lot of planning had gone into working out the project to ensure best possible results. Denying that his Government was trying to benefit only Congress members through the NLUP, he said, “ All efforts have been made to benefit all sections of the people by constituting monitoring committees at village, district and State level to ensure transparency.”
He claimed that even the Government of India is impressed by the project and if successful, it will be replicated in other States in the North East and rest of the country. A baseline household survey was entrusted to the Young Mizo Association (YMA) in September, 2009 which identified 1,58,000 families as eligible for assistance. Of this, 1,20,000 families were finally selected for providing assistance under the project.
The successful implementation of the NLUP will bring about a massive 16 per cent rise in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State, PL Thanga, vice chairman of the NLUP Implementing Board informed. “In several areas, we will be adopting the cluster approach so as to enable technical and marketing support to the beneficiaries,” he added.
Crops suitable for cultivation in different areas of the State have been identified, he said, adding, “For instance, orange has been identified for cultivation along the border with Myanmar.” In Vairangte area, an ‘arecanut village’ has come up with as many as 500 families taking up the cultivation of arecanuts.
“The State is targetting to achieve self-sufficiency in fish, poultry and pig production by the end of the current year itself”, Thanga stated.
Muga, the golden silk of Assam, may not remain the exclusive preserve of Assam after NLUP. The Implementing Committee has identified 6,000 hectares which are suitable for rearing muga silkworms. Mulberry trees on which the silkworms feed are extensively found in Mizoram, Thanga disclosed. Nearly 3,000 families in two clusters will take up muga cultivation, he added.
'In view of the inadequate railway wagons and feeble tracks of NFR (Northeast Frontier Railways), the FCI is unable to supply food grain to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam,' Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manik Dey told reporters in Agartala.
Quoting FCI and railway officials, Dey said: 'The FCI officials assured Tripura MPs that it would supply food grain by trucks and would build a buffer stock in the region.'
Parliamentarians from Tripura, led by Lok Sabha member Khagen Das, Wednesday met FCI chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) Syraj Hussain and top railway officials in New Delhi.
Mizoram Chief Secretary Pu Van Hela Pachuau too held a meeting with Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, demanding urgent supply of food grain, according to officials.
The central government has been supplying food grain, cooking gas, fertilisers and other essentials to the northeastern states.
'Inadequate railway service to the hilly region is the main bottleneck in maintaining uninterrupted supply of food grain and other essentials,' the Tripura food minister said.
The metre-gauge railway line from Guwahati passes through southern Assam's mountainous North Cachar Hills district, connecting landlocked Tripura's capital Agartala and parts of Manipur and Mizoram with the rest of the country.
He said Tripura had a buffer stock only for 23 days against the mandatory reserve of 60.
A senior Mizoram government official told reporters that six out of the state's eight districts are facing a severe shortage of food grain and other essentials.
'The repatriation process of tribal refugees from Tripura to Mizoram has also been suspended due to the shortages,' the official added.
'The Mizoram chief secretary, during his meeting with the cabinet secretary, has suggested six proposals, including building of adequate numbers of godowns, to overcome the recurring problem,' he said.
The chief secretary also said that work on the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in northern Mizoram was progressing slowly, thus making it difficult to finish the project by the original deadline of March 2014.
Meanwhile, a Tripura government official said that the union cabinet secretary held a high-level meeting in Guwahati earlier this month with the chief secretaries and food and civil supplies officials of the eight northeastern states on the issue.
Occasional road blockades by local organisations and disruption of railway services due to heavy rains during monsoon have also contributed to such shortages in Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and southern and western Assam.
The Mizoram Presbyterian Church, the largest church in the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram, has said that the red pot wine is a ''liquor'' and cannot be liberalised.
The Synod, the highest assembly of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church, in its annual meeting here yesterday held that the made-in-Mizoram grape wine labelled Zawlaidi, which contains 14 per cent alcohol, is a 'liquor' and resolved to press the government to reduce the alcohol content.
The red pot wine, produced from two wineries at Hnahlan village and Champhai town in eastern parts of Mizoram, had already faced opposition from smaller churches and NGOs since it hit the market on market on October 11.
Earlier, the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee (MKHC), a committee comprising leaders of different denominations, had made it very clear that it was against production and sale of grape wine and guava wine.
The church leaders committee also reiterated that its 100 per cent support to the Mizoram liquor total prohibition act, imposed in the state in 1996, remained unchanged.
The prohibition of liquor was grounded on the solid teaching of the Word of God and therefore the Church's stand will never be compromised, sources from the church leaders' committee said.
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Church of Maraland in Mara Autonomous District Council in southern Mizoram supported by other organisations, have unanimously agreed to ban the grape wine in the autonomous district council.
A joint memorandum had been submitted to the chief executive member of Mara ADC, S Khipo to request him to take necessary actions in this regard.
The Church and the voluntary organisations also asked the government to cancel the license issued to the retail vendor for Saiha town.
Even though other smaller churches such as Baptist Church of Mizoram, the Salvation Army, United Pentecostal Church, Seventh Day Adventist, etc have expressed their opposition to the grape wine, official resolutions are yet to be made.
With its 14 per cent alcohol content, Zawlaidi contains has come as a perfect substitute to liquor which is totally prohibited in the Christian dominated state since the past 13 years.
The Mizoram government, in 2007, made an amendment of the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, passed in 1997, to enable grape growers in Hnahlan and Champhai in northeastern parts of Mizoram to manufacture wine from their fruits of labour.
Even as the grape growers have heaved a sigh of relief, the churches in Mizoram, who were behind the prohibition law, have expressed their resentment on the liberalisation of grape wine.
In Hnahlan village 80 per cent of the total population of 670 families, has been engaged in producing grapes and 325 families in Champhai area.
--UNI
