Mr R. Lalzirliana, the Mizoram Agriculture Minister formally inaugurated a two day long regional conference on integrated land & Water resources management in hilly areas atthe NLUP Conference Hall, Aizawl, Today. The event is jointly organized by the NLUP Implementing Board(NIB),Government of Mizoram and North Eastern regional Institute of Water and land Management(NERIWALM), Tezpur, Assam. The inaugural function is to be followed by the 4 technical session where a panel ofexperts will be discussing a viable solutions and improvement of management of integratedland and water resources management in hilly areas. Mr P.C. Lalthanliana, the state minister for horticulturedepartment, Mr. C.Ngunlianchunga, the state AH&Vety Minister, Mr. J.H. Rothuama, NIB Chairman, Mr. H.Liansailova, the state planning board Vice Chairman, Mr.P.L. Thanga, Vice chairman/CEO, NIB,Mr. P.C. Lawmkunga, Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, Pro fS.C.Patra, Conevener, NERIWALMN and Dr. M.Satyanarayana, NWM wre among other dignitaries and subject matter specialists who have gracedthe ocassion.

Mr.R.Lalzirliana, the state Agriculture Minister on his inaugural speech extended his greetings and warmwelcome to all the participants of the regional conference. He particularly expressed his gratitude tothe Ministry of Water Resources,Government of India and north east region integrated Water and landmanagement(NERIWALM), Tezpur for joining hands with government of Mizoram in organizing this Regional conference at the most appropriate time with a special reference to the New Land Use Policy(NLUP), theflagship programme of Mizoram state for the past 5 years and continuing. He wishes the very best for the outcome of the technical workshop to be concluded tomorrow. He lamented that 90% of 2200cm annual average rainfall in Mizoram instead of helping the agriculture activities in Mizoram rather gets washed away and causing all sorts of havocs and degrading the soil fertility due to its hilly terrain.However, he said that with the inception of the flagship programme, the NLUP, this area of concern is slowing decreasing and soon the problem will be fully arrested. He also said that the state pride herself in having implementing one of the most comprehensive land use programme in India which is modelledon inclusive growth, sustainable and inclusive development as well as financially inclusive and soon, the state is surely to reap the success of this flagship programme and will abandon the jhuming system of cultivation for good. And he also emphasized that getting the attention and eventually collaborating with the United Nation Agencies such as FAO, UNDP, ILO, IFAD and UNIDO was the testament of the soundness of the NLUP programme which promise a high rate of sucess and sustainability.

At the early part of the launching programme Prof. S.C. Patra delivered his keynote address to the participantssensitizing the topics for discussion during this two day long regional conference.Mr J.H. Rothuama, Chairman,NIB, Mr.P.L. Thanga, Vice Chairman/CEO, NIB And Mr P.C. Lawmkunga, Chief Secretary to the Government of Manipur were the other dignitaries who address the deligates during the launching programme. Mr P.C.Lawmkunga,speaking on the occassion congratulates the NIB, Mizoram for their success story and went on to lend some important advices for further progress. He even states that Manipur is also considering a huge flagship programme along the line of NLUP in some ways and they would be very grateful if the Mizoram welcomes the proposed visits from the Government of manipur in the context of gathering vital information about NLUP by their experts and subject matter specialists in the near future. After the Chairman, NIB deliveredthe vote of thanks, the technical session starts and will be concluded on june 25 after 5 sessions.