The Chief Minister of Mizoram, Pu Zoramthanga, on his first visit to the national capital since being sworn in to office last month, called on the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr. Jitendra Singh here today. They discussed issues related to the development projects in the state, including roads and other infrastructure sectors besides bamboo cultivation, the state’s major revenue resource.Shri Zoramthanga urged Dr. Jitendra Singh to expedite stalled development projects particularly 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.Dr. Jitendra Singh assured there would be no budgetary constraint in the funds release 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).
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the State Government is yet to spend around Rs.225 crores allocated to the State for the current Financial Year even as we have already entered into the last quarter. Besides, the State is entitled to an additional Rs.40 crore for the current FY, he added. The DoNER Minister stressed that the new State Government must submit timely UCs so that development works can pick pace.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 the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi last year. 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.