Excelsior Correspondent
AIZAWL (MIZORAM), Apr 16: Government will develop Mizoram on a fast-track because, though being one of the smallest and the youngest States of the country, it has the potential to emerge as a model State of India.
This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances,Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh after a one-hour exclusive meeting with Chief Minister Mizoram, Lalthanwala at his residence,during which the two discussed development issues as well as political situation in the State . The CM explained to the DoNER Minister as to how after 20 years long period of insurgency, Mizoram had limped back to normalcy following the historic accord in 1986. In response, Dr Jitendra Singh assured the CM that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government are committed to carry forward the process of growth with peace in this peripheral State and every possible help will be rendered to achieve this objective.
Underlining the high-priority and importance attached by the Narendra Modi Government to the State of Mizoram, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he was amused to learn that none of the DoNER ministers had visited Mizoram for the last five years and therefore, he has a reason to reassure people of the State and the administration that if within just four months of taking charge of the DoNER Ministry, he has made himself physically available among them, it only shows the kind of follow-up and commitment which is planned for the months to come.
Later, before concluding his two day visit to Mizoram, Dr Jitendra Singh held a meeting with the State administration, which was followed by a get-together hosted for him by State Cabinet Ministers.
At the meeting with the administration, which was attended among others by the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP), Dr Jitendra Singh said that besides working out the feasibility of a direct air-flight from Delhi to Aizawl, he has also offered a middle-route formula for resolving the issue pertaining to the security management of the Aizawl Airport which had become a matter of debate between the State Police and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). In this regard, he suggested to the State DGP to try to work out a working arrangement between the State Police and the AAI.
Dr Jitendra Singh also announced that as a part of the new initiative of holding Camp Secretariat of DoNER Ministry by monthly rotation in each of the eight States of Northeast, the next Camp Secretariat in the month of May will be held in Mizoram for which communication is being sent to all the concerned in the administration as well as the MLAs and MPs from the State. This will be an opportunity for the administration as well as the representatives of civil society to directly interact with the officials of DoNER Ministry who will be available in the State, he added.
With the literacy rate of nearly 92%, Dr Jitendra Singh said, Mizoram deserves to have a more participatory role intellectually and academically and therefore, in the new Brahmaputra Study Centre in Gauhati University announced by the DoNER Ministry, Mizoram will be accommodated for a suitable slot in exclusive research and higher learning.
Follow our WhatsApp channel