SPEECH OF THE HON\'BLE CHIEF MINISTER OF MIZORAM PU LAL THANHAWLA ON THE OCCASION ON 63RD ANNIVERSARY
Dear friends,
I feel greatly privileged to have the opportunity to address you on this sacred day of fifteenth August, the sixty third anniversary of our Country\'s Independence. I extend my warm and hearty greetings to all of you on this auspicious occasion.
Today is indeed a day of great pride and happiness for us. We take special pride in saluting our beloved tricolour which is flying majestically above us. We recall with pride, respect and solemn gratitude the efforts and sacrifices of our freedom fighters and martyrs who secured us our position of a proud and free nation. We pay rich tribute and homage to Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and all our great national leaders for their inspiring and selfless leaderships and sacrifices, and their unrelenting toils and visions that gave us a sovereign nation.
I feel greatly privileged to have the opportunity to address you on this sacred day of fifteenth August, the sixty third anniversary of our Country\'s Independence. I extend my warm and hearty greetings to all of you on this auspicious occasion.
Today is indeed a day of great pride and happiness for us. We take special pride in saluting our beloved tricolour which is flying majestically above us. We recall with pride, respect and solemn gratitude the efforts and sacrifices of our freedom fighters and martyrs who secured us our position of a proud and free nation. We pay rich tribute and homage to Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and all our great national leaders for their inspiring and selfless leaderships and sacrifices, and their unrelenting toils and visions that gave us a sovereign nation.
This hard-earned freedom, backed by the sacred ideals and visions of our great leaders, has now placed us among the greatest nations of the world. Today, as we bask in the glory of our great nation, we convey special words of gratitude to our brave soldiers who guard our frontiers, and to our efficient police and other internal security forces who maintain our internal security to preserve and safeguard our freedom and sovereignty, and provide us necessary cover and support in our march towards progress and prosperity.
We are fortunate to have a vibrant democracy with a strong economy under a stable and highly capable Government at the Centre. With its special dispensation towards smaller States like ours, Mizoram is well-poised to take full advantage of the Centre\'s goodwill and support to embark on the path of development and economic revolution. We have done, and will continue to do, what we can to achieve growth and development in all sectors; we will continue to endeavour to ensure clean, efficient, responsive and transparent administration; and we will continue to spare no efforts to maintain peace and tranquility which are so vital to our well-being and development.
A year ago, I have outlined our visions, our priorities and our commitment to fulfil our promises. Since then, there has been much that we have achieved. Yet I must admit that much remains to be done, for the tasks before us are enormous, and require concerted efforts from all stakeholders - the Government machineries, the civil society, and the general population at large. As we continue towards making Mizoram a better state, I appeal to all today to work for the betterment of the state and the people of Mizoram.
I would like to express my gratitude to the civil societies and voluntary organisations for their unstinting support to the law enforcing agencies in our efforts to maintain our status as one of the most peaceful states of India. Thanks to our concerted efforts, peace and order have largely prevailed barring some isolated and one-off incidents. We should continue to take great care to ensure that these one-off incidents do not flare up into large scale law and order situations, and
take even greater pains to maintain harmony and integrity among the various localities and communities in the State. While the Government remains sensitive to the complaints, dissatisfactions and misgivings of the people, it also remains firm in its commitment that no one should be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Nothing is achieved by indulging in violence and destroying public properties, and there is no place in our society for anti-social elements and militancy. I would like to make it very clear that there will be no leniency for those who indulge in such activities.
I am thankful to the churches, the various non-governmental organisations and especially to the Young Mizo Association for their wholehearted support in combating the menaces of drugs trafficking, drugs abuse and illicit liquors which are posing grave threats to our society. We will continue unrelentingly in our campaign against these menaces.
The Government is solemnly committed to bring about revolutionary changes towards economic self-sufficiency, land reforms, restoration of ecological balance, growth and poverty alleviation through the New Land Use Policy. We seek to reconstruct our rural economy by replacing the destructive and unprofitable practice of jhumming with permanent and commercial farming. An integrated Land Use Planning, aimed at preservation of rain forests, creation of community reserve forests, supply reserves, earmarking of cultivation areas under New Land Use Policy, habitation and infrastructure developments will be adopted. This will involve the most painstaking exercise of surveying the whole State to form the basis for a new land ownership, regulation and management system, and the planning processes initiated at the village levels will be merged to form integrated District Plan. The aid of modern technology will be used extensively in project planning and implementation to ensure the highest degree of success. A well structured management system, accountability and social audit will be instituted to ensure transparency and prevent leakage of funds. Today, I am grateful to my colleagues in the Government, our committed and efficient bureaucracy and to all our well wishers for their support and contributions in evolving such a grand and novel programme which gained the approval and support of the Central Government. We are thankful to the Central Government for approving the entire project under New Land Use Policy, with a size of Rs. 2873.13 crores, under Additional Central Assistance to cover as many as 1,20,000 families over a span of five years. With this kind of support, coupled with the sincere cooperation of all stakeholders involved, we can confidently look forward to the realisation of our goals and visions. However, given the magnitude of the programme and its implications, we have to tread cautiously; we have to build up our capacities at all levels, right from the beneficiaries to the top of the government machineries who will be responsible for its successful implementation. Failure is not an option in this mammoth and historic venture, and we will build up our own pace to ensure its success.
We are deeply aware of the importance of agriculture and its allied sectors to fulfil our commitment. We are looking for technology improvement for enhanced production and more remunerative prices for the farmers. We will continue to ensure that our farmers get the necessary supports through provision of quality seeds and saplings, compost, machineries and equipment, irrigation and land development and the required market linkage to sell their produces more profitably. We have collaborated with M/s Argos (Agri Projects) Ltd., Israel to set up a Multi-purpose Packing House at Horticulture Centre at Chite, Aizawl which will be commissioned shortly. We have also taken initiative to have our organic produces certified to gain international acceptance and fetch us more competitive prices. It is a matter of great pride that our Horticulture Department had received the coveted first prize in the National Art Competition in the 5th International Flora Expo 2009 held at Bangalore during 5th-7th December, 2009. Sericulture development will play a prominent role in weaning away our farmers from jhum cultivation. We will raise our targets in terms of coverage and production, and also develop the required infrastructures to support our objectives. Demonstration plantation of cash crops like coffee, cardamom, rubber and tea continue to occupy an important place in helping the farmers reap more productive harvests. We recognise the potentials of rubber, coffee and broom plantations as viable economic activities, and thrust will be given to translate these potentials into reality under the New Land Use Policy. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary is another sector which holds great potential. We are unrelenting and vigilant in our efforts to maintain livestock health, prevention and control of animal diseases, quantitative as well as qualitative development of livestock and their produces.
We believe in creating employment opportunities to fight poverty, and we recognise that development of Industry is a major factor for our economic growth. We have done remarkably well in handloom sector, with substantial amount of handloom products being exported to neighbouring States. Tea cultivation holds a promising prospect, and so do the bamboo sector. We need to have proper linkages for agriculture and horticulture produces with the processing industry to boost our rural economy. Exploration of oil and natural gas is in progress, and we will take care to ensure that our interests are safeguarded in this venture. We also recognise the need to create employment opportunities and develop entrepreneurial skill among the rural unemployed youth outside agriculture to march ahead. The Prime Minister\'s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) has played a significant role towards these ends by financing a number of units and creating employment opportunities. Besides, a considerable number of artisans have been trained in various skills under Entrepreneurial Development Programme to enable them to take up self-employment ventures.
The Government is keenly aware that education is essential for progress and prosperity, and we must look beyond functional literacy and strive for quality education. We believe that education is the best investment for the State and its society within and that no price is too heavy to pay for a child\'s education. With these convictions, we have set up the Education Reforms Commission, and I am happy that the Commission has persevered and submitted its report within a short span of time. We will strive to implement the recommendations to transform and revolutionise our educational scenario. We have been highly successful in universalisation of elementary education through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). New elementary schools have been established in all villages and habitations, and our efforts have earned us first rank among the North Eastern States in the Education Department Index (EDI) prepared by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. As many as 1,98,623 students of Class I to VIII have ben given free textbooks, 6390 differently-abled children are being given special education, basic computer courses have been imparted in schools, and 214 innovative sports academies have been instituted in different disciplines to tap the talents of our young students. We continue to accord high priority to Midday Meal Programme to ensure that children are protected from classroom hunger, school enrolment and attendance are increased, and malnutrition issues are addressed. Kitchen sheds for 922 Middle Schools are under construction, and 546 Primary Schools will be provided kitchen devices under the programme within this year. It is a matter of great satisfaction that we have been the first state in India to submit perspective plan under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and also the first to receive sanction from the Central Government. With Rs. 6770.45 lakhs sanctioned under the programme during the past year, we are undertaking massive infrastructural development in Secondary Education all over the State. I believe these ventures will help us realise our dream of universalising quality education at secondary level.
It is time to give more focus to scientific and professional education to build a solid foundation for growth. The Central Government has been kind enough to support us in our endeavour in the field of higher education, and has provided sanction for infrastructure development of four colleges, namely, Government Saiha College, Government Lunglei College, Government Serchhip College and Government Zirtiri Residential Science College. Similarly, sanctions have been received for setting up of new Polytechnics at Champhai, Kolasib, Lawngtlai and Mamit and construction of Mizoram Law College Building at Aizawl. Construction works for these projects will be started shortly. We continue to provide scholarships to needy students of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Castes and other minority communities, and we will construct a new Post Matric Students Hostel at Aizawl soon. A National Institute of Technology (NIT) is proposed to be opened in the State during the current academic session with the help of the Central Government. A District Centre for English to impart quality improvement of English Language Teaching and Learning has been set up in Saiha with the help of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad. Child Rights Protection Cell has also been established to realise the aims of Right to Education Act, 2009. As part of our commitment to bring citizen centric services to the home of the common man through Information Technology services, we are implementing a project on e-governance of Mizoram Board of School Education and online connectivity with selected schools which will link the 2 (two) MBSE offices at Aizawl and Lunglei with 8 (eight) District School Centres through satellite connection.
We have pledged to work for the development of sports, and I am happy today to see the progresses we have made within a short span of time. Shrimati Sonia Gandhiji had been kind enough to lay the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Mualpui on 6th March, 2010. Construction work is in progress with the Rs. 25.00 crores awarded by the Twelfth Finance Commission. In addition, construction of Aizawl Indoor Stadium at Pitarte Tlang, Republic Veng and that of Champhai Indoor Stadium are also under way. We will soon lay artificial grass at AR Ground, and artificial turf at Women Hockey Training Centre at Thenzawl to match the well deserved aspirations of our sportspersons. We have set up a Regional Sports Training Centre at the erstwhile Football Academy for Boys at Saidan, Kolasib to accommodate boys from other North Eastern States. 25 (twenty five) students are being given football coaching alongside formal education at this Centre. We have also started Boys\' Hockey Academy at Kawnpui this year where 25 (twenty five) boys between 13-18 years age group are being trained to become world class hockey players. We are proud of the achievements of our outstanding sportspersons who have excelled in their respective disciplines to earn laurels not only for the State but also for the nation as well.
We aim to achieve sustainable urban development with an eye to equity in employment, shelter, basic services, social infrastructure and transportation in the urban areas. A number of social infrastructure development schemes are being taken up at various District and Sub-Divisional Headquarters. These include Convention Centre at Lunglei, Auditorium and Stadium Complex at Serchhip, development schemes for Champhai, Lawngtlai, Saiha, Serchhip and Saitual. Under Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY), urban families living below poverty lines are provided gainful employment opportunities, skill development and credit linkage to uplift their living conditions. Basic services like provision of adequate drinking water, housing for the poor, sanitation and waste management services are given priority. Improvement of water supply system for Aizawl is being taken up under both Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and the Asian Development Bank assisted North Eastern Region Urban Development (NERUDP). Augmentation of water supply schemes for both Lunglei and Serchhip are in progress under Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT). Housing projects for 1096 urban poor families in Aizawl, and another 1950 families in the various district headquarters are being implemented under JNNURM. We have managed to improve basic sanitation and waste management services in partnership with local authorities, non-government
organisations, students and the civil society. I appeal to all to be actively engaged in keeping our neighbourhoods, public places and markets clean, and be willing to give extra efforts to make our surroundings clean and healthy. We have constructed an oxidation pond at Tuirial to provide immediate solution to our problem of night soil disposal which had posed grave environmental and health hazards. We believe in bringing power to the doorsteps of the common man, and have taken significant steps towards this by making necessary preparations for setting up an elected urban local body in Aizawl.
We recognise that housing is a basic need, and we have made provisions for extending housing assistance in the form of soft loan to the poorer section of the society. As many as 432 (four hundred and thirty two) families will be provided Housing Loan during the current year under this programme. We will continue to provide basic amenities and infrastructures to all villages, and two recreation parks will be developed at Thenzawl and Hmuifang to address our shortcomings in this area.
We have been able to provide an average of 95 (ninety five) days of employment to 1,80,140 households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). 2956 houses have been constructed, and another 1895 houses upgraded for rural families living below poverty under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY). We are unrelenting in our efforts to uplift the living conditions of the rural poor, and we will continue to focus on their welfare and development through the various Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), Integrated Wastelands Development Project (IWDP)/Hariyali and Border Area Development Programme (BADP). We have prepared a State Perspective and Strategic Plan (SPSP) under IWMP which was approved by the National Steering Committee in January, 2010. Accordingly, sanction for 16 projects amounting to Rs. 93 crores and covering an area of 62435 Hectares of land has been conveyed. Various projects worth Rs. 27 crores and covering an area of 39400 Hectares of land are also being implemented under IWDP. We also have an allocation of Rs. 2495 lakhs during 2009-2010 under BADP for transformation of border areas by ensuring multifaceted development, and saturate them with essential infrastructure through convergence of schemes and participatory approach. We remain sensitive to the special needs of the three Autonomous District Council areas, and will continue to extend every possible support to them for their development.
We are keenly aware of the potential of tourism and its related industries to become major factors of our economic growth, and we will do what is necessary to make Mizoram a preferred tourist destination. As part of this endeavour, construction of Institute of Hotel Management is in progress at Bung Picnic Spot, and aero-sport equipments have been procured to launch Adventure Tourism in Mizoram. We also know that border trade holds an important key to our growth and develop
ment. We are taking up all required measures to develop border trades along our notified land customs stations. The Composite Land Customs Station building at Zokhawthar is now ready for commissioning, a Trade Facilitation Centre is being set up at Tlabung, and necessary infrastructures will be developed at the Land Customs Station at Kawrpuichhuah.
Transport is essential to our economic growth, and we are committed to improve our transport services. A State Level Task Force on National Railway Project in Mizoram has been instituted, implementation of Inland Water Transport Project at Tlawng river is under way, and steps are being taken to improve our transportation facilities and infrastructures at various places. 14 (fourteen) new buses have been purchased under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), and another 11 (eleven) new buses will be purchased soon to improve our urban transportation system. The Government is committed to ensure food security in the state and provide adequate supply of foodstuff and other essential commodities at affordable rates. We are firm in our commitment to protect the interests of the consumers, and we are earnest in our efforts to maintain a high degree of quality control for common consumer goods and in checking their rising prices.
Efforts are on to open District Jails at Lawngtlai and Serchhip where necessary civil works are being taken up, and we expect to complete these and make them functional soon. In keeping with the true spirit of using prison as correctional system, education has been imparted to the inmates of Central Jail, Aizawl in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and also with the Adult Education Wing of the School Education Department. We subscribe to the ideals of an independent judiciary as an ingredient of just and fair legal system. We also believe in speedy and efficient delivery of justice to all. We are actively engaged in strengthening our judicial system; 4 (four) family courts have been set up at Aizawl, Lunglei, Kolasib and Champhai, Senior Civil Judge-cum-Chief Judicial Magistrates have been posted in all the districts, steps are being taken to establish Gram Nyayalayas (Village Courts) in a phased manner, the Mizoram State Legal Services Authority and the District Legal Services Committees have been reconstituted and various activities for institutional and infrastructural strengthening of the judiciary are undertaken.
In the first of its kind in Mizoram, two winery licences have been issued, one at Champhai and another at Hnahlan, and these are expected to be commissioned shortly. These will provide a much needed boost to the grape growers, and could substantially contribute to our economic growth by generating higher income for the farmers while earning the Government substantial revenue.
We aim to introduce sweeping changes in our land holding systems, whereby equitable distribution of land will be ensured. In order to have a transparent process of land administration, and to ensure that only deserving and genuine citizens are allotted land, we have undertaken an extensive survey of Family Land Records with the help of the Young Mizo Association.
Diseases and ill-health put a heavy burden on the people. We have launched our own unique system of mitigating this burden through convergence of the Mizoram State Health Care Scheme with the Rashtriya Swastya Bima Yojana (RSBY). We are sincere in our efforts to provide quality healthcare to all. We have brought about significant improvement in the implementation of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), resulting in increase in institutional delivery, improvement in maternal and child health, and upgradation of physical infrastructures and equipments. To ensure that our children are healthy with hope for the future, School Health programmes were conducted in 776 schools and as many as 42676 children were examined. Of these, 2828 poor children having eye problems were provided free spectacles. An eye bank has been established at Civil Hospital, Aizawl, giving hopes for many who have lost their eye sights. A 20 (twenty) bedded cancer hospital building has been constructed at the Regional Cancer Centre at Zemabawk, and 1 (one) bus has been purchased for the conveyance of cancer patients. Strengthening and improvement of Central Sterile Supply Department are being taken up in Civil Hospital, Aizawl and other 4 (four) District Hospitals at Lunglei, Saiha, Serchhip and Kolasib. An Oxygen Generating Plant, having a capacity of 50 (fifty) cylinders per day, has been installed at Civil Hospital, Aizawl.
We are exploring all possible options to increase our power generation. A 3.0 megawatt Maicham-II Small Hydel Project has been completed and inaugurated on 10 September, 2009. The first set and the second set generating units of Serlui \'B\' Small Hydel Project, having a capacity of 4.0 megawatts each, have been commissioned on 30 April, 2010 and 21 May, 2010 respectively, thereby increasing our generating capacity by 8.0 megawatts. The third set with a generating capacity of 4.0 megawatts will also be commissioned sh ortly. Rural electrification scheme to provide electricity to all un-electrified villages, and free connection to 27417 BPL households across the state, is in progress under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), and is expected to be completed within this year. Efforts are being made to rope in private power producers on Public Private Partnership mode to tap the hydel power potential in the state.
Provision of adequate, safe and potable water as well as basic sanitation facilities, being fundamental needs, are among our primary concerns. We are exploring all possible channels to provide adequate supply of water to all, and a number of projects are being taken up through different programmes at various levels. We will cover 124 rural habitations under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) within this year. Our achievement in providing basic sanitation services under Total Sanitation Campaign has been satisfactory, with 59679 individual household latrines, 3219 school toilets, 912 aganwadi toilets, 440 sanitary complexes and 9 solid and liquid waste management units constructed since inception.
According to the latest State of Forest Report published by the Forest Survey of India, we have a forest cover of 91.27% of our total geographical area, the highest in the country. However, only 0.64% is very dense forest whereas a very substantial portion of 69% is open forest, making it imperative for us to take serious measures for conservation of forests, reforestation and afforestation to save our environment. We have been able to create 4700 hectares of plantation during 2009-2010 under the National Afforestation Programme, and we will continue the programme in real earnest. We have also refined and continued the hugely popular and highly effective Green Mizoram Programme, giving more stress to the survival of the trees planted. Our wildlife conservation ventures are of vital importance to our ecosystem. We are proud of our tiger reserve, our national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. We compliment the Aizawl Zoo for making premier record on the first ever successful captive breeding of the highly endangered and rare bird locally called Vavu. I must commend all those who have voluntarily and tirelessly combated wildfires across the state during the dry season, risking their own safety and even their lives, to save our valuable forests. We reserve special praise for them, and we are indebted to them for their sacrifices.
We are extremely vulnerable to natural calamities like landslides, cyclonic storms and earthquake, and we have to brace ourselves to face any eventualities. We work closely with the National Disaster Response Force, and have undertaken sensitisation and training courses, seminars and workshops to strengthen our state of preparedness.
It is important to preserve our identity to retain our foothold in modern civilisation. Our culture is perhaps the most fundamental instrument for safeguarding our identity. We have endeavoured to imbibe amongst our youth the feeling of pride in our own culture. As part of this endeavour, we are proud to have entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest Cheraw Dance on March 12 this year, a feat which not only put us on the world map but has also unified us and ignite passion for our cherished culture among the masses.
Progress and development are bound to be skewed without adequate protection and empowerment of our women, and we are taking steps to constitute the Mizoram State Mission Society for the Empowerment of Women and to set up State Resource Centre for Women. We consider it our sacred duty to care for persons with disabilities, and have taken up a number of measures for their welfare. With assistance from the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, we are going to implement Multi-Sectoral Development Programme in Mamit District and Lawngtlai District. The Central Government has already kindly earmarked Rs. 45.9 crores for this programme, and we have also arranged our matching share of Rs. 195.41 lakhs.
On this auspicious occasion, I appeal to all of you to re-dedicate yourselves to work unitedly for the progress and prosperity of our state and our country. Without clean and efficient government machineries and improved public service delivery mechanism, even the best laid plans and programmes will not benefit the people. Incompetence and corruption in public administration will not be tolerated. We are willing to go the extra mile to revamp and strengthen our administrative machinery. We must persevere, and be patient, as we slowly yet surely make our way towards a better future.
I am grateful to the parade contingents, the students and all the people who have gathered here today. On this sacred occasion, let us resolve to preserve and strengthen the unity and integrity of our great country.
Jai Hind.
We are fortunate to have a vibrant democracy with a strong economy under a stable and highly capable Government at the Centre. With its special dispensation towards smaller States like ours, Mizoram is well-poised to take full advantage of the Centre\'s goodwill and support to embark on the path of development and economic revolution. We have done, and will continue to do, what we can to achieve growth and development in all sectors; we will continue to endeavour to ensure clean, efficient, responsive and transparent administration; and we will continue to spare no efforts to maintain peace and tranquility which are so vital to our well-being and development.
A year ago, I have outlined our visions, our priorities and our commitment to fulfil our promises. Since then, there has been much that we have achieved. Yet I must admit that much remains to be done, for the tasks before us are enormous, and require concerted efforts from all stakeholders - the Government machineries, the civil society, and the general population at large. As we continue towards making Mizoram a better state, I appeal to all today to work for the betterment of the state and the people of Mizoram.
I would like to express my gratitude to the civil societies and voluntary organisations for their unstinting support to the law enforcing agencies in our efforts to maintain our status as one of the most peaceful states of India. Thanks to our concerted efforts, peace and order have largely prevailed barring some isolated and one-off incidents. We should continue to take great care to ensure that these one-off incidents do not flare up into large scale law and order situations, and
take even greater pains to maintain harmony and integrity among the various localities and communities in the State. While the Government remains sensitive to the complaints, dissatisfactions and misgivings of the people, it also remains firm in its commitment that no one should be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Nothing is achieved by indulging in violence and destroying public properties, and there is no place in our society for anti-social elements and militancy. I would like to make it very clear that there will be no leniency for those who indulge in such activities.
I am thankful to the churches, the various non-governmental organisations and especially to the Young Mizo Association for their wholehearted support in combating the menaces of drugs trafficking, drugs abuse and illicit liquors which are posing grave threats to our society. We will continue unrelentingly in our campaign against these menaces.
The Government is solemnly committed to bring about revolutionary changes towards economic self-sufficiency, land reforms, restoration of ecological balance, growth and poverty alleviation through the New Land Use Policy. We seek to reconstruct our rural economy by replacing the destructive and unprofitable practice of jhumming with permanent and commercial farming. An integrated Land Use Planning, aimed at preservation of rain forests, creation of community reserve forests, supply reserves, earmarking of cultivation areas under New Land Use Policy, habitation and infrastructure developments will be adopted. This will involve the most painstaking exercise of surveying the whole State to form the basis for a new land ownership, regulation and management system, and the planning processes initiated at the village levels will be merged to form integrated District Plan. The aid of modern technology will be used extensively in project planning and implementation to ensure the highest degree of success. A well structured management system, accountability and social audit will be instituted to ensure transparency and prevent leakage of funds. Today, I am grateful to my colleagues in the Government, our committed and efficient bureaucracy and to all our well wishers for their support and contributions in evolving such a grand and novel programme which gained the approval and support of the Central Government. We are thankful to the Central Government for approving the entire project under New Land Use Policy, with a size of Rs. 2873.13 crores, under Additional Central Assistance to cover as many as 1,20,000 families over a span of five years. With this kind of support, coupled with the sincere cooperation of all stakeholders involved, we can confidently look forward to the realisation of our goals and visions. However, given the magnitude of the programme and its implications, we have to tread cautiously; we have to build up our capacities at all levels, right from the beneficiaries to the top of the government machineries who will be responsible for its successful implementation. Failure is not an option in this mammoth and historic venture, and we will build up our own pace to ensure its success.
We are deeply aware of the importance of agriculture and its allied sectors to fulfil our commitment. We are looking for technology improvement for enhanced production and more remunerative prices for the farmers. We will continue to ensure that our farmers get the necessary supports through provision of quality seeds and saplings, compost, machineries and equipment, irrigation and land development and the required market linkage to sell their produces more profitably. We have collaborated with M/s Argos (Agri Projects) Ltd., Israel to set up a Multi-purpose Packing House at Horticulture Centre at Chite, Aizawl which will be commissioned shortly. We have also taken initiative to have our organic produces certified to gain international acceptance and fetch us more competitive prices. It is a matter of great pride that our Horticulture Department had received the coveted first prize in the National Art Competition in the 5th International Flora Expo 2009 held at Bangalore during 5th-7th December, 2009. Sericulture development will play a prominent role in weaning away our farmers from jhum cultivation. We will raise our targets in terms of coverage and production, and also develop the required infrastructures to support our objectives. Demonstration plantation of cash crops like coffee, cardamom, rubber and tea continue to occupy an important place in helping the farmers reap more productive harvests. We recognise the potentials of rubber, coffee and broom plantations as viable economic activities, and thrust will be given to translate these potentials into reality under the New Land Use Policy. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary is another sector which holds great potential. We are unrelenting and vigilant in our efforts to maintain livestock health, prevention and control of animal diseases, quantitative as well as qualitative development of livestock and their produces.
We believe in creating employment opportunities to fight poverty, and we recognise that development of Industry is a major factor for our economic growth. We have done remarkably well in handloom sector, with substantial amount of handloom products being exported to neighbouring States. Tea cultivation holds a promising prospect, and so do the bamboo sector. We need to have proper linkages for agriculture and horticulture produces with the processing industry to boost our rural economy. Exploration of oil and natural gas is in progress, and we will take care to ensure that our interests are safeguarded in this venture. We also recognise the need to create employment opportunities and develop entrepreneurial skill among the rural unemployed youth outside agriculture to march ahead. The Prime Minister\'s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) has played a significant role towards these ends by financing a number of units and creating employment opportunities. Besides, a considerable number of artisans have been trained in various skills under Entrepreneurial Development Programme to enable them to take up self-employment ventures.
The Government is keenly aware that education is essential for progress and prosperity, and we must look beyond functional literacy and strive for quality education. We believe that education is the best investment for the State and its society within and that no price is too heavy to pay for a child\'s education. With these convictions, we have set up the Education Reforms Commission, and I am happy that the Commission has persevered and submitted its report within a short span of time. We will strive to implement the recommendations to transform and revolutionise our educational scenario. We have been highly successful in universalisation of elementary education through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). New elementary schools have been established in all villages and habitations, and our efforts have earned us first rank among the North Eastern States in the Education Department Index (EDI) prepared by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. As many as 1,98,623 students of Class I to VIII have ben given free textbooks, 6390 differently-abled children are being given special education, basic computer courses have been imparted in schools, and 214 innovative sports academies have been instituted in different disciplines to tap the talents of our young students. We continue to accord high priority to Midday Meal Programme to ensure that children are protected from classroom hunger, school enrolment and attendance are increased, and malnutrition issues are addressed. Kitchen sheds for 922 Middle Schools are under construction, and 546 Primary Schools will be provided kitchen devices under the programme within this year. It is a matter of great satisfaction that we have been the first state in India to submit perspective plan under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and also the first to receive sanction from the Central Government. With Rs. 6770.45 lakhs sanctioned under the programme during the past year, we are undertaking massive infrastructural development in Secondary Education all over the State. I believe these ventures will help us realise our dream of universalising quality education at secondary level.
It is time to give more focus to scientific and professional education to build a solid foundation for growth. The Central Government has been kind enough to support us in our endeavour in the field of higher education, and has provided sanction for infrastructure development of four colleges, namely, Government Saiha College, Government Lunglei College, Government Serchhip College and Government Zirtiri Residential Science College. Similarly, sanctions have been received for setting up of new Polytechnics at Champhai, Kolasib, Lawngtlai and Mamit and construction of Mizoram Law College Building at Aizawl. Construction works for these projects will be started shortly. We continue to provide scholarships to needy students of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Castes and other minority communities, and we will construct a new Post Matric Students Hostel at Aizawl soon. A National Institute of Technology (NIT) is proposed to be opened in the State during the current academic session with the help of the Central Government. A District Centre for English to impart quality improvement of English Language Teaching and Learning has been set up in Saiha with the help of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad. Child Rights Protection Cell has also been established to realise the aims of Right to Education Act, 2009. As part of our commitment to bring citizen centric services to the home of the common man through Information Technology services, we are implementing a project on e-governance of Mizoram Board of School Education and online connectivity with selected schools which will link the 2 (two) MBSE offices at Aizawl and Lunglei with 8 (eight) District School Centres through satellite connection.
We have pledged to work for the development of sports, and I am happy today to see the progresses we have made within a short span of time. Shrimati Sonia Gandhiji had been kind enough to lay the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Mualpui on 6th March, 2010. Construction work is in progress with the Rs. 25.00 crores awarded by the Twelfth Finance Commission. In addition, construction of Aizawl Indoor Stadium at Pitarte Tlang, Republic Veng and that of Champhai Indoor Stadium are also under way. We will soon lay artificial grass at AR Ground, and artificial turf at Women Hockey Training Centre at Thenzawl to match the well deserved aspirations of our sportspersons. We have set up a Regional Sports Training Centre at the erstwhile Football Academy for Boys at Saidan, Kolasib to accommodate boys from other North Eastern States. 25 (twenty five) students are being given football coaching alongside formal education at this Centre. We have also started Boys\' Hockey Academy at Kawnpui this year where 25 (twenty five) boys between 13-18 years age group are being trained to become world class hockey players. We are proud of the achievements of our outstanding sportspersons who have excelled in their respective disciplines to earn laurels not only for the State but also for the nation as well.
We aim to achieve sustainable urban development with an eye to equity in employment, shelter, basic services, social infrastructure and transportation in the urban areas. A number of social infrastructure development schemes are being taken up at various District and Sub-Divisional Headquarters. These include Convention Centre at Lunglei, Auditorium and Stadium Complex at Serchhip, development schemes for Champhai, Lawngtlai, Saiha, Serchhip and Saitual. Under Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY), urban families living below poverty lines are provided gainful employment opportunities, skill development and credit linkage to uplift their living conditions. Basic services like provision of adequate drinking water, housing for the poor, sanitation and waste management services are given priority. Improvement of water supply system for Aizawl is being taken up under both Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and the Asian Development Bank assisted North Eastern Region Urban Development (NERUDP). Augmentation of water supply schemes for both Lunglei and Serchhip are in progress under Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT). Housing projects for 1096 urban poor families in Aizawl, and another 1950 families in the various district headquarters are being implemented under JNNURM. We have managed to improve basic sanitation and waste management services in partnership with local authorities, non-government
organisations, students and the civil society. I appeal to all to be actively engaged in keeping our neighbourhoods, public places and markets clean, and be willing to give extra efforts to make our surroundings clean and healthy. We have constructed an oxidation pond at Tuirial to provide immediate solution to our problem of night soil disposal which had posed grave environmental and health hazards. We believe in bringing power to the doorsteps of the common man, and have taken significant steps towards this by making necessary preparations for setting up an elected urban local body in Aizawl.
We recognise that housing is a basic need, and we have made provisions for extending housing assistance in the form of soft loan to the poorer section of the society. As many as 432 (four hundred and thirty two) families will be provided Housing Loan during the current year under this programme. We will continue to provide basic amenities and infrastructures to all villages, and two recreation parks will be developed at Thenzawl and Hmuifang to address our shortcomings in this area.
We have been able to provide an average of 95 (ninety five) days of employment to 1,80,140 households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). 2956 houses have been constructed, and another 1895 houses upgraded for rural families living below poverty under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY). We are unrelenting in our efforts to uplift the living conditions of the rural poor, and we will continue to focus on their welfare and development through the various Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), Integrated Wastelands Development Project (IWDP)/Hariyali and Border Area Development Programme (BADP). We have prepared a State Perspective and Strategic Plan (SPSP) under IWMP which was approved by the National Steering Committee in January, 2010. Accordingly, sanction for 16 projects amounting to Rs. 93 crores and covering an area of 62435 Hectares of land has been conveyed. Various projects worth Rs. 27 crores and covering an area of 39400 Hectares of land are also being implemented under IWDP. We also have an allocation of Rs. 2495 lakhs during 2009-2010 under BADP for transformation of border areas by ensuring multifaceted development, and saturate them with essential infrastructure through convergence of schemes and participatory approach. We remain sensitive to the special needs of the three Autonomous District Council areas, and will continue to extend every possible support to them for their development.
We are keenly aware of the potential of tourism and its related industries to become major factors of our economic growth, and we will do what is necessary to make Mizoram a preferred tourist destination. As part of this endeavour, construction of Institute of Hotel Management is in progress at Bung Picnic Spot, and aero-sport equipments have been procured to launch Adventure Tourism in Mizoram. We also know that border trade holds an important key to our growth and develop
ment. We are taking up all required measures to develop border trades along our notified land customs stations. The Composite Land Customs Station building at Zokhawthar is now ready for commissioning, a Trade Facilitation Centre is being set up at Tlabung, and necessary infrastructures will be developed at the Land Customs Station at Kawrpuichhuah.
Transport is essential to our economic growth, and we are committed to improve our transport services. A State Level Task Force on National Railway Project in Mizoram has been instituted, implementation of Inland Water Transport Project at Tlawng river is under way, and steps are being taken to improve our transportation facilities and infrastructures at various places. 14 (fourteen) new buses have been purchased under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), and another 11 (eleven) new buses will be purchased soon to improve our urban transportation system. The Government is committed to ensure food security in the state and provide adequate supply of foodstuff and other essential commodities at affordable rates. We are firm in our commitment to protect the interests of the consumers, and we are earnest in our efforts to maintain a high degree of quality control for common consumer goods and in checking their rising prices.
Efforts are on to open District Jails at Lawngtlai and Serchhip where necessary civil works are being taken up, and we expect to complete these and make them functional soon. In keeping with the true spirit of using prison as correctional system, education has been imparted to the inmates of Central Jail, Aizawl in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and also with the Adult Education Wing of the School Education Department. We subscribe to the ideals of an independent judiciary as an ingredient of just and fair legal system. We also believe in speedy and efficient delivery of justice to all. We are actively engaged in strengthening our judicial system; 4 (four) family courts have been set up at Aizawl, Lunglei, Kolasib and Champhai, Senior Civil Judge-cum-Chief Judicial Magistrates have been posted in all the districts, steps are being taken to establish Gram Nyayalayas (Village Courts) in a phased manner, the Mizoram State Legal Services Authority and the District Legal Services Committees have been reconstituted and various activities for institutional and infrastructural strengthening of the judiciary are undertaken.
In the first of its kind in Mizoram, two winery licences have been issued, one at Champhai and another at Hnahlan, and these are expected to be commissioned shortly. These will provide a much needed boost to the grape growers, and could substantially contribute to our economic growth by generating higher income for the farmers while earning the Government substantial revenue.
We aim to introduce sweeping changes in our land holding systems, whereby equitable distribution of land will be ensured. In order to have a transparent process of land administration, and to ensure that only deserving and genuine citizens are allotted land, we have undertaken an extensive survey of Family Land Records with the help of the Young Mizo Association.
Diseases and ill-health put a heavy burden on the people. We have launched our own unique system of mitigating this burden through convergence of the Mizoram State Health Care Scheme with the Rashtriya Swastya Bima Yojana (RSBY). We are sincere in our efforts to provide quality healthcare to all. We have brought about significant improvement in the implementation of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), resulting in increase in institutional delivery, improvement in maternal and child health, and upgradation of physical infrastructures and equipments. To ensure that our children are healthy with hope for the future, School Health programmes were conducted in 776 schools and as many as 42676 children were examined. Of these, 2828 poor children having eye problems were provided free spectacles. An eye bank has been established at Civil Hospital, Aizawl, giving hopes for many who have lost their eye sights. A 20 (twenty) bedded cancer hospital building has been constructed at the Regional Cancer Centre at Zemabawk, and 1 (one) bus has been purchased for the conveyance of cancer patients. Strengthening and improvement of Central Sterile Supply Department are being taken up in Civil Hospital, Aizawl and other 4 (four) District Hospitals at Lunglei, Saiha, Serchhip and Kolasib. An Oxygen Generating Plant, having a capacity of 50 (fifty) cylinders per day, has been installed at Civil Hospital, Aizawl.
We are exploring all possible options to increase our power generation. A 3.0 megawatt Maicham-II Small Hydel Project has been completed and inaugurated on 10 September, 2009. The first set and the second set generating units of Serlui \'B\' Small Hydel Project, having a capacity of 4.0 megawatts each, have been commissioned on 30 April, 2010 and 21 May, 2010 respectively, thereby increasing our generating capacity by 8.0 megawatts. The third set with a generating capacity of 4.0 megawatts will also be commissioned sh ortly. Rural electrification scheme to provide electricity to all un-electrified villages, and free connection to 27417 BPL households across the state, is in progress under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), and is expected to be completed within this year. Efforts are being made to rope in private power producers on Public Private Partnership mode to tap the hydel power potential in the state.
Provision of adequate, safe and potable water as well as basic sanitation facilities, being fundamental needs, are among our primary concerns. We are exploring all possible channels to provide adequate supply of water to all, and a number of projects are being taken up through different programmes at various levels. We will cover 124 rural habitations under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) within this year. Our achievement in providing basic sanitation services under Total Sanitation Campaign has been satisfactory, with 59679 individual household latrines, 3219 school toilets, 912 aganwadi toilets, 440 sanitary complexes and 9 solid and liquid waste management units constructed since inception.
According to the latest State of Forest Report published by the Forest Survey of India, we have a forest cover of 91.27% of our total geographical area, the highest in the country. However, only 0.64% is very dense forest whereas a very substantial portion of 69% is open forest, making it imperative for us to take serious measures for conservation of forests, reforestation and afforestation to save our environment. We have been able to create 4700 hectares of plantation during 2009-2010 under the National Afforestation Programme, and we will continue the programme in real earnest. We have also refined and continued the hugely popular and highly effective Green Mizoram Programme, giving more stress to the survival of the trees planted. Our wildlife conservation ventures are of vital importance to our ecosystem. We are proud of our tiger reserve, our national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. We compliment the Aizawl Zoo for making premier record on the first ever successful captive breeding of the highly endangered and rare bird locally called Vavu. I must commend all those who have voluntarily and tirelessly combated wildfires across the state during the dry season, risking their own safety and even their lives, to save our valuable forests. We reserve special praise for them, and we are indebted to them for their sacrifices.
We are extremely vulnerable to natural calamities like landslides, cyclonic storms and earthquake, and we have to brace ourselves to face any eventualities. We work closely with the National Disaster Response Force, and have undertaken sensitisation and training courses, seminars and workshops to strengthen our state of preparedness.
It is important to preserve our identity to retain our foothold in modern civilisation. Our culture is perhaps the most fundamental instrument for safeguarding our identity. We have endeavoured to imbibe amongst our youth the feeling of pride in our own culture. As part of this endeavour, we are proud to have entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest Cheraw Dance on March 12 this year, a feat which not only put us on the world map but has also unified us and ignite passion for our cherished culture among the masses.
Progress and development are bound to be skewed without adequate protection and empowerment of our women, and we are taking steps to constitute the Mizoram State Mission Society for the Empowerment of Women and to set up State Resource Centre for Women. We consider it our sacred duty to care for persons with disabilities, and have taken up a number of measures for their welfare. With assistance from the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, we are going to implement Multi-Sectoral Development Programme in Mamit District and Lawngtlai District. The Central Government has already kindly earmarked Rs. 45.9 crores for this programme, and we have also arranged our matching share of Rs. 195.41 lakhs.
On this auspicious occasion, I appeal to all of you to re-dedicate yourselves to work unitedly for the progress and prosperity of our state and our country. Without clean and efficient government machineries and improved public service delivery mechanism, even the best laid plans and programmes will not benefit the people. Incompetence and corruption in public administration will not be tolerated. We are willing to go the extra mile to revamp and strengthen our administrative machinery. We must persevere, and be patient, as we slowly yet surely make our way towards a better future.
I am grateful to the parade contingents, the students and all the people who have gathered here today. On this sacred occasion, let us resolve to preserve and strengthen the unity and integrity of our great country.
Jai Hind.