Addressing the general assembly of All Mizoram DIET (District Institutes of Education and Training) Employees' Association here, he said he has informed the Centre that Mizoram would not be able to roll out the scheme. The CM, however, did not elaborate on how the scheme would bring misery to people.
Sources said the Congress government in the state is in a dilemma as it already has a scheme in place that provides beneficiaries 8kg of subsidized rice a month and, under the central scheme, they will get 5kg rice a month at Rs 3 per kg. The state government will now have to give the remaining 3kg rice at the same price as under the central scheme, or it could prove costly to Congress with the assembly election coming up. And, if it provides 8kg rice at Rs 3 a kg, the government will have to bear a huge financial burden.
The sources added that the CM is not willing to implement the scheme and he had expressed his view at the meeting of Congress chief ministers on the food security scheme held at 10 Janpath on July 13. He had told the party high command that it would be impossible to implement the scheme in Mizoram unless the Centre bears the additional financial burden. Lal Thanhawla had made his view public after his return here on July 19. He said with the assembly polls due in five months, it would be difficult to take up new and expensive schemes. But he is being pressurized by central leaders to implement the scheme, a source said.