There is already Rs 100 crores at hand to launch the first phase of the NLUP, state Congress spokesperson Ronald Sapa Tlau told reporters here today, adding that a NLUP apex board had been set up with Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla as chairman and MLA and NLUP expert R Selthuama as vice-chairman.
The Congress’ main poll plank NLUP, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi have promised to implement with a “special Central package“, offers Rs one lakh each to the 2.5 lakh families, who are still dependent on shifting cultivation (Jhum) in Mizoram.
“We have roughly estimated that over 2.5 lakh families are still depending on the primitive shifting cultivation, who slash and burn over 21 lakh hectares of forests each year. The NLUP will not only give permanent occupation to these jhummias, but also save Mizoram from deforestation,” R Selthuama, MLA for Aizawl West-II, has said.
The NLUP had been initiated during the previous Congress Ministries from 1990-1998, but failed to materialise due to alleged misutilisation of the funds by the beneficiaries.
“This time, we will set up monitoring cell in each village, which will ensure that the beneficiaries judiciously use the fund.
We will also legislate a law to punish those misusing the NLUP fund.
We will ensure cent per cent success,” the spokesperson said.
Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has also warned that any beneficiary found misutilising the first installment of the poverty alleviation programme fund would be cut off for next installments.