Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 16: New Chief Minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga, currently on his first visit to the national capital since being sworn in to office last month, called on Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh here today.
In a meeting lasting nearly 45 minutes, the discussion mostly related to development projects in the State, including roads and other infrastructure sectors besides Bamboo cultivation, the State’s major revenue resource.
Dr Jitendra Singh assured that there would be no budgetary constraint in the funds and asked the Chief Minister to ensure submission of Utilization Certificates (UCs) in respect of funds already released to the State Government through DoNER Ministry and the North Eastern Council (NEC). He said, the State Government is yet to spend around Rs 225 crore allocated to it. Besides, the State is entitled to an additional Rs 40 crore for the current financial year, he added.
The DoNER Minister stressed that the new State Government must submit timely UCs, so that development works can pick pace.
Zoramthanga urged Dr Jitendra Singh to take on priority projects pertaining to road connectivity to remote areas. The DoNER Minister said, the State Government can make use of the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) for laying the network of inter-State highways, State Highways and other rural roads.
The Mizoram Chief Minister underlined the huge potential for Bamboo export to Bangladesh and Myanmar and urged Dr Jitendra Singh to facilitate the opening of border trade. The DoNER Minister said the State Government should make use of the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) approved by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NBM has been created under the Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and a website www.nbm.nic.in has been especially created for the purpose, he added.
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