My dear fellow citizens and friends – Chibai,

On this momentous occasion of the 75^th Republic Day of India, I extend my heartiest greetings and felicitations to all who have gathered here, to the people of Mizoram and to all my fellow citizens across the country. It was on this day in 1950, that we became one of the largest democratic republic of the world, when we gave to ourselves a Constitution to secure justice, liberty and equality for all the citizens of our great Nation. Today, celebration and observation of this significant day is going on across the country.

On this remarkable day, my warm New Year wishes to the people of Mizoram, who, I applaud for having elected a new Government, which is a clear reflection of their firm conviction in the democratic process of change. My new Government sees the overwhelming mandate it has received from the people as a sign of yearning for a paradigm shift in various aspects. I assure the people of the State that my Government is committed to fulfilling the aspirations, hopes and dreams implicit in their mandate.

I express my appreciation and gratitude to the people of Mizoram for their earnest and dutiful exercise of franchise to elect the new government in a peaceful and exemplary manner. I laud the sincere efforts put in by our bureaucracy and law enforcing agencies, which were supplemented whole-heartedly by the endeavours of the NGOs, churches and civil society in general, and the Mizoram People’s Forum (MPF) in particular, in ensuring a free and fair election throughout the state. Our electoral discipline has been much admired and talked about across the country, the credit for which must definitely go to the people of Mizoram.

Peace and tranquillity are vital for growth and development. We are extremely fortunate to have efficient law enforcing agencies and supportive non-government organizations, religious institutions, media and the general public thereby maintaining our status as one of the most peaceful states in India.

In the next five years to come, my Government will have several broad areas of thrust, encompassing six basic needs that will be prioritised:

• Responsible and responsive administration guided by the principles of good governance and accountability
• Ensuring steady and sustainable development in all sectors 
• Providing support and impetus to industry
• Access to social security and social equity
• Youth welfare and development
• Protection of the environment 
• Long term developmental projects which can have transformative outcomes
• Impetus will be laid to strive towards a market driven economy 

My Government is committed to stabilise and improve the financial condition of the state. It will be our endeavour to set things right through fiscal consolidation, proper fiscal management, austerity measures, pruning non-development expenditure and resource management and mobilization. This will, no doubt, require an initial period of financial consolidation and stabilization through prudent fiscal management and financial discipline. Efforts will be made to sustain and increase the growth rate in different sectors. To achieve this, my Government will ensure that various development projects and undertakings of the previous government shall be continued depending on their technical viability and financial soundness. Initiatives and measures to fight drug abuse and care and treatment for those under its clutches will be implemented extensively with renewed vigour.

Over the years, my Government has achieved much; yet there are many challenges ahead of us.With the formation of a New Ministry on 8^th December, 2023, a ‘100 Days Programme’ was simultaneously announced by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, in order to effectively monitor the performance of all Departments. In pursuance, my Government has constituted a Monitoring Committee to oversee the tasks set by the Government and the General Administration Department is the Nodal Department in this regard.

The Mizoram Right to Public Services Act, 2015 is being implemented with renewed vigour and all concerned Departments have been instructed accordingly. A list of 141 Public Services under various Departments has been notified on 29^th December, 2023. Nodal officers have been appointed for the fulfilment of this task and in due course, they will identify new services for inclusion and also make efforts to generate awareness among the public.

In order to check malpractices at various Police Checkgates, all police personnel on duty have been strictly instructed to refrain from any such misconduct and any violation will be viewed seriously. My Government has a zero tolerance towards all kinds of illegal smuggling. Stringent measures are being taken to stop the illegal smuggling of areca-nuts by law enforcing agencies and Government. Licences of fertiliser dealers are being reviewed and those found misusing them have been cancelled.

A budget needs to encompass the aspirations of the people, cater to all sections of society and must judiciously allocate available resources. We will ensure that Departments prepare their budgets based on the commitments and promises that have been made to the people. Budgetary processes would be simplified so that it can be understood with ease by the common man.

In the new Budget of 2023-24 Rs. 150 crore will be allocated for procurement of crops while a separate allocation for Handholding Policy ‘Bana Kaih’ will also be provided. The Hand Holding Policy will seek to address the gaps in banking that farmers, cultivators, entrepreneurs and small scale industries often face. It will explore ways of syncing the policy in convergence with various programmes, initiatives and schemes of the Central Government. This will ensure that benefits of these percolate effectively down to the common people and those engaged in agriculture and industry.

Resource Mobilization Department, which was set up last year, has been abolished and in its place, a Resource Mobilization Committee has been set up on 18^th December, 2023, to ensure judicious allocation and productive mobilization of resources and suggest steps in this regard.

Biometric attendance system for government servants will be implemented in all Offices starting from Mizoram Secretariat at MINECO. Security of government offices will be enhanced with installation of CCTVs.Power & Electricity Department will monitor the installed solar panels in various offices to ensure efficiency in the use of renewable energy.

Utilisation of staff for private works by officers is being stopped. Government Orders in this connection have been issued for strict compliance.

Lengpui Airport and Zoram Medical College (ZMC) are very important assets of the State but their maintenance require a lot of financial resources.  Hence, handing over of Lengpui Airport to Airports Authority of India or to other private operators is being mooted and a Committee to study this proposal has been set up by the Government. For ZMC, the matter is being taken up afresh.

Austerity measures are being initiated at various levels of the administrative machinery. Mobilization of financial resources which I have mentioned earlier will also be an immediate priority of my Government. Our effort will be to move forward on the twin roads of efficiency and equity while maintaining a high degree of fiscal and financial discipline.

Development rests on three pillars- good governance, transparency and decentralization. Development projects particularly those related to infrastructure have to be monitored properly so that the quality of work is not compromised.Project Monitoring Committees to monitor important and major infrastructure development projects will be set up which will include representatives from all stakeholders and other sections of society to ensure public accountability, timely completion and quality control.

Good governance reduces corruption, enhances self-respect of the citizens and enables them to optimally utilize their talents and capabilities. We are determined to rid the state of the scourge of corruption and my Government has a zero tolerance towards it. The fight against corruption will be made comprehensive and effective. The mission to eliminate corruption from public life and Government services will be implemented with greater zeal.

Probity and accountability must be the key norms of public administration. My Government is committed to the goal of providing a transparent and efficient administration. Due propriety, promptitude and effectiveness should characterize every measure - administrative, legislative and political.

On this august occasion, I am pleased to present my Government’s recent performance and achievements.

1. Mizoram Police deployed in the recently concluded Mizoram State Legislative Assembly Election deserve commendation for their exemplary dedication to duty. Mizoram Forensic Science Laboratory was honoured with the prestigious ‘Best Case Award’ in the smart use of Fingerprint Science in Investigation at the 24^th All India Conference of Directors of States/UTs Finger Print Bureau held in November, 2023.

Action is being initiated for setting up of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) in the three new Districts. It is a matter of pride that our traffic etiquette, the minimal honking of vehicles due to which Aizawl is often referred to as ‘Silent City’ in particular, is being replicated by the Goa and Nagaland Police in their respective states.

2. My Government will accord utmost importance to agriculture and allied sectors since more than half of our population depend on these sectors for their livelihoods. It will be our endeavour to make agriculture both production-centric and income-centric. A separate allocation of fund targeting farmers engaged in agriculture and allied sectors will be provided in the budget. Remunerative prices for 4 (four) important commercial crops – ginger, turmeric, chillies and broomsticks will be fixed and procurement will commence from this financial year itself for which an amount of Rs. 110 crore has been already earmarked. A Memorandum of Understanding for the procurement of 500 metric tonnes of ginger and 100 metric tonnes of chillies from farmers in the state has already been signed with a private agency.

3. Recognising the role of quality roads and better connectivity as means of economic growth and development, efforts will be given for the improvement and construction of road infrastructures. It gives me great pleasure to note that Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India has very recently sanctioned Rs. 1313.28 crore for development of a 2.5 kilometre Twin Tube Uni-directional Aizawl by-pass tunnel along with a 2.1 kilometre approach road on the Sairang-Phaibawksection of NH-6. Once completed, this project will drastically reduce congestion and enhance road safety within Aizawl city.

4. My Government will work to ensure a holistic healthcare system that is universally accessible and affordable, by improving and strengthening healthcare facilities and key infrastructures. It is a matter of pride that recently, the Population Fund of India awarded Mizoram as one of the winners of the 7^th JRD Memorial Award in the category of ‘High Focus North East States’ in recognition of our efforts to improve health services and health indices.

5. To enhance the quality of educational institutions in line with the NEP 2020, the School Education Department has initiated certain measures and this policy will be implemented in accordance with Mizo ethos, values and society.

6. My Government will give impetus to industry particularly small-scale industries and agro-based industries. Locally manufactured products will be popularised and promoted.

7. Opportunities for the youth to excel in various professional and vocational fields with necessary incentives and capacity building programmes will be given priority. The new hand holding policy ‘Bana Kaih’, which will be provided in the budget, will help encourage entrepreneurship and start-ups.

8. Rural development is an important instrument of empowering people living in rural areas. Mizoram has been doing remarkably well in the implementation of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission (SPMRM) with Aibawk Cluster becoming the first cluster in the country to complete all projects.

9. My Government recognises the need to accord importance to welfare programmes and services to women, children and the weaker and vulnerable sections of society.

10. Recently, under the National SwacchSurvekshan Awards,Lunglei received ‘Clean City Award’ in the North East Zone (below 1 lakh population category) while Aizawl City received the ‘Clean City Award’ amongst big urban habitations in the state on 11^th January, 2023.All the 23 urban towns have achieved ODF status.

11. Development Committees from the State Level down to Village Levels for effective devolution and decentralization will be set up to ensure  participative democracy. Ngopa in Saitual District was presented with the ‘National Panchayat Award’ by the Hon’ble President of India, becoming the first village in Mizoram to receive the prestigious honour and a cash prize of Rs. 150 lakh. I hope that example set by Ngopa village will inspire other villages in Mizoram to work tirelessly in building better communities.

12. Mizoram is the first state in the country to undertake localization of SDGs to the locality and village levels through introduction of Local Indicator Framework for measuring the performance and for ranking villages and urban localities.

13. I am happy to share that Reiek village in Mamit District was awarded ‘Gold Category for Best Tourism Village in India 2023’ by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India amongst 795 contenders from 315 Districts across India, in recognition of its best values and practices of rural tourism.

14. Cooperation Department is implementing Van Dhan Mission under Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY). The Mission, with an outlay of Rs. 1444.05 lakhs sanctioned by TRIFED Ltd., is currently underway and is expected to benefit about 2 lakh people through 159 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.

15. The Excise & Narcotics Department is striving relentlessly to combat the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse.

16. Mizoram Sports Incentive Cash Award was distributed to 479 sportspersons from multiple sport disciplines. Sportspersons from various disciplines won 2 medals (2 gold) at the international level; 48 medals (26 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze) at the national level and 65 medals (23 gold, 13 silver and 29 bronze) at the regional level, totalling 115 medals.

17. The inauguration of the new High Court Building by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India Shri D Y Chandrachud at MINECO on 2^nd September, 2023 is an important judicial milestone for the state.

18. Implementation of online submission of Property Return of Group A and B (Gazetted) officers spearheaded by Vigilance Department has been upgraded through a new portal version.

On this auspicious day, let us take immense pride in the progress and development made, the achievements and milestones reached as well as the respect and admiration which our country has garnered on the world stage and remember, with reverence, the founding fathers of our great nation. Let us also rededicate ourselves to uphold the cause of peace, harmony and fraternity of our great nation and vow anew our sacred duty to nurture, safeguard and strengthen the values enshrined in our Constitution.

I urge all the people of Mizoram to preserve and strengthen the unity and integrity of our country and towork for the missions that will make Mizoram a place where all can march ahead on the path of prosperity and development.

Dear friends, on this happy occasion, I once again, express my gratitude and best wishes to all the people of Mizoram.

KA LAWM E

JAI HIND