391/2024-2025

Agartala, December 20, 2024: The Chief Minister of Mizoram addressed the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC), held at Pragna Bhawan, Agartala, Tripura. The session is chaired by Shri Amit Shah, Union Home Minister and Chairman of NEC.

The Chief Minister began by expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and NEC for their significant initiatives over the past year. He acknowledged efforts like the Asthalakshmi Mahotsav and investment summits, which provide platforms for showcasing the potential of the Northeast. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of regular reviews under the 10% Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) and the newly implemented changes in fund release mechanisms, which have accelerated project implementation.

He lauded the personal interest taken by the Hon’ble Minister of DoNER in visiting the Northeastern States and focusing on key pillars such as Health, Education, Transport & Connectivity, Agri-Allied & Food Processing, Tourism, and Power.

Emphasis on Investments and Employment Highlighting the critical role of investments, entrepreneurship, and employment, the Chief Minister underscored Mizoram's ambition to establish an investment zone with world-class infrastructure and a strong focus on Ease of Doing Business.

He also introduced the Bana Kaih (Handholding) Scheme, Mizoram's flagship program launched in August 2024. The scheme offers interest-free, collateral-free loans of up to ₹50 lakhs and aims to support entrepreneurs, termed as “Progress Partners.” This initiative has already attracted 11,397 applications and will work in convergence with central schemes like PMEGP and KCC.

The Chief Minister pointed out that over 50% of Mizoram’s population is engaged in agriculture and allied sectors, but their contribution to the State GDP remains minimal. He called for special consideration in cost-sharing arrangements under schemes like Command Area Development (CAD), urging a 90:10 funding pattern for the Northeast, similar to other centrally sponsored schemes.

The Chief Minister placed several requests before the NEC and Ministry of DoNER to strengthen development efforts, including:

1. Appointment of a Full-Fledged Secretary, NEC to enhance administrative efficiency.
2. Extension of NESIDS (OTRI) to cover urban water supply, addressing the challenges of rapid urbanization.
3. Restoration of the Power Sector in NEC guidelines, considering the untapped renewable energy potential in Mizoram and the Northeast.
4. Equal Budgetary Allocation between NESIDS (OTRI) and NEC schemes to cater to key sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and tourism.
5. Simplification of Project Approval Processes to reduce delays caused by multi-level approvals.
6. Enhanced Sanctioning Powers for NEC to expedite project implementation.

The Chief Minister concluded with optimism, expressing confidence that with sincerity and collective effort, the Northeast could lead India towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.

Issued by K. Saitluanga, DD (IPR) & Press Information Officer to Chief Minister, Office of the Chief Minister of Mizoram