Chief Minister Shri Lal Thanhawla today launched a new economic policy of the Government of Mizoram – New Economic Development Policy (NEDP) at the capital’s largest auditorium, Vanapa Hall. At the same programme Home Minister Shri. R. Lalzirliana launched a new intiative –TrafficJamFreeAizawlCityprogramme of the Government aimed at easing the traffic congestion in the city. 

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Lal Thanhawla said that the new economic policy, NEDP was borne out of the fruits of the State’s Flagship programme – New Land Use Policy which was launched in 2011 and its main aim is to lead Mizoram from a subsistence based economy to a market based economy. While elaborating on the objectives of the new policy, he said no matter how good a programme or a project is, the ultimate success of the programme or project lies in the hands of the people and the stake-holders and people must have a sense of ownership and responsibility towards it. He pointed that NEDP would develop private-public partnerships with interested individuals or groups for adding value addition to various agricultural, horticultural and other produce.  He also spoke on the need to explore, improve and augment existing skill development programmes and introduction of entrepreneurship programmes targeted at the youth under NEDP. He pointed that while the Administrative Reforms Committee would improve government and administrative delivery mechanisms, the Land Reforms Committee set up would ensure judicious use of land resources and suggest ways to improve and develop existing land holding patterns.  

Home Minister while launching Traffic Jam Free Aizawl City Programme outlined the timelines for implementation of the project. He said that all the stake holders – various government Departments, Aizawl Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police, local urban bodies and voluntary organisations would need to work in unison to achieve the objectives of the programme. Under the programme, all vehicle owners including two wheelers and earth moving machineries will need to have garages and they will be given time from 1^st October 2016 till 30^th November 2017 for the same. Regular drives to check to ensure compliance will be started from 1^st April 2017. The programme will also explore the possibility of starting radio taxi service in the city, improving public transport system and improving the quality of air in the city by educating people to opt more for public transport. 

Finance Minister Pu Lalsawta, in his introduction speech elaborated on the aims, objectives and goals of NEDP and said that the government was not averse to obtaining loans from banks and financial instituitions, for NEDP, if the current allocation was not enough or if such need arose. Vice Chairman, State Planning Board Pu H. Liansailova in speech lauded the government and its functionaries for bring forth a new vision for economic development and translating the same into a reality via this new policy.  

The Core Committee of NEDP which had its meeting earlier this week accepted 27 proposals under the new policy which will be taken up during the current fiscal year. A budgetary allocation of Rs. 250 crores has been set aside for these projects.  

Among the key sectoral interventions identified for 2016-17 are Agriculture/Horticulture Link Roads, introduction of annual agriculture/horticulture crops with high domestic consumption and other high value crops, improving processing facilities and marketing linkages for agricultural and horticultural produce by establishing rice mills, market yards, etc., establishment of handloom export promotion facility, establishment of skills development centre, entrepreneurship development programmes, providing support to viable startup businesses, steps to improve ease of doing business to attract investment from outside the state, improvement in the health services by augmenting existing facilities and procurement of needy diagnostic tools and machines for the District Hospitals, improvement of urban and rural infrastructure, establishment of additional classrooms in higher secondary and model schools to meet the growing demand for admission into government run higher secondary schools and improvement in road infrastructure in some of the remote MLA constituencies and launching of Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme to improve habitations of the economically weaker sections of the society in rural areas.  

Today lauching of NEDP was attended by the Speaker of the Assembly Pu Hiphei, Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, MLAs, Mayor of Aizawl Municipal Corporation, Councillors and a large number of government functionaries.