Mizoram to move another vote on account

The Congress-led Mizoram government had in March presented a vote on account for the first four months of the fiscal (April to July) due to non-finalization of the state's annual plan by the Planning Commission.

"The Monsoon Session of the Mizoram Assembly would begin July 8. Another vote on account for two to three months would be moved as the Planning Commission has not yet approved the plan size for the current year," Finance Secretary F Vanlalruata told reporters.

He said that with the new central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuming office just two days ago, the Planning Commission was also expected to be reconstituted, which would further delay finalizing the state's plan.

The annual plans for the 2014-15 fiscal are yet to be finalized as the just concluded Lok Sabha election was spread over April and May.

Generally, the plan panel holds discussions during March and April with chief ministers and officials of all states to finalize their annual plans.

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Teacher cycles with global warming message

JIRIBAM, May 30 : Ram Prasad Naskar, a Geography teacher from Subhasgram in West Bengal, who has been on countrywide bicycle tour since December 18, 2013 under the theme “Global Warming and Its Potential Threat” reached Jiribam on Wednesday and left today for Mizoram.

He will later proceed towards Tripura from Mizoram.

While interacting with media persons, Ram Prasad expressed that he has been on the tour with the message of global warming across the states and union territories of India and aim to so as to make aware the people of the country on the potential threat of the Global Warming.

Indicating the low budget of the tour, he simply started his tour with a newly bought bicycle which cost Rs 4000 only and further said that this is his third tour; the first was conducted in 2010 and second one in 2012.

Expressing the distance covered, he narrated that a total of 15600 kilometres has been travelled in 163 days with his bicycle being the longest one from his previous tours. He also expressed his desire for Asia tour provided he gets necessary tour permission and financial support.

READ MORE - Teacher cycles with global warming message

Mizoram to move second vote on account

Aizawl : The Mizoram government will move another vote on account instead of presenting the regular budget for fiscal 2014-15 as the Planning Commission is yet to finalise the state's plan, an official said here Thursday.

The Congress-led Mizoram government had in March presented a vote on account for the first four months of the fiscal (April to July) due to non-finalisation of the state's annual plan by the Planning Commission.

"The monsoon session of the Mizoram assembly would begin July 8. Another vote on account for two to three months would be moved as the Planning Commission has not yet approved the plan size for the current year," Finance Secretary F. Vanlalruata told reporters.

He said that with the new central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuming office just two days ago, the Planning Commission was also expected to be reconstituted, which would further delay finalisinf the state's plan.

The annual plans for the 2014-15 fiscal are yet to be finalised as the just concluded Lok Sabha election was spread over April and May. Generally, the plan panel holds discussions during March and April with chief ministers and officials of all states to finalise their annual plans.

READ MORE - Mizoram to move second vote on account

Mizoram: 40,000 detonators recovered

Aizawl: In a joint operation, Assam Rifles personnel and police recovered 40,000 detonators from Bawngkawn locality here.

The police said that the detonators were being smuggled to Myanmar.

"We have been receiving intelligence inputs that the detonators were being smuggled to Myanmar in large quantity, but this is the largest-ever haul till date," a police officer said.

The detonators were seized yesterday.

Two Myanmarese nationals identified as Zabika (49) of Falam area and Thawnga (37) of Kalemyo area were arrested in this connection and charged under relevant sections of the Explosives Act.

The detonators, made by Hyderabad-based Explosive Division of the Gulf Oil Export Corporation Ltd, were worth around Rs 8.4 lakh in the local market, the police said.

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Monsoon session of Mizoram assembly to begin from July 8

AIZAWL: Mizoram governor Vakkom Purushothaman has summoned the monsoon session of the state assembly to begin from July 8, state assembly secretariat officials said.

A detailed programme of the session would be chalked out by the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) headed by the speaker, the officials said.

Meanwhile, state finance secretary F Vanlalruata said that state Finance Minister Lalsawta was likely to seek another vote-on-account during the session as the Planning Commission was not likely to allocate the state annual plan outlay for the current fiscal.

Vanlalruata said that with the new government being elected at the Centre, the Planning Commission was also likely to be reconstituted which would further delay allocation of plan fund for the state.

Vanlalruata said that with the new government being elected at the Centre, the Planning Commission was also likely to be reconstituted which would further delay allocation of plan fund for the state.

The finance minister would again be compelled to seek a vote-on-account for two or three months from August for the second time, he said.

The assembly had earlier approved a vote-on-account for the first four months of the current financial year on March due to non-finalisation of the state plan size by the Planning Commission.

READ MORE - Monsoon session of Mizoram assembly to begin from July 8

Mizo core comm decides to resume repatriation of Bru tribals

Aizawl: Mizoram's State Core Committee on Bru Repatriation on Tuesday decided to resume the repatriation process of the tribals from six relief camps in Tripura and also to consult with the government of Tripura on the move.

Lalbiakzama, joint secretary of the state home department, said those identified to be willing to come forward for self-repatriation complained that transport operators in Tripura were demanding huge rates from the Bru families after knowing that they were receiving assistance.

He said the Mizoram state government could not increase the transportation rate (Rs 5,500 per family) and would seek the Tripura government's intervention on the issue.

Meanwhile, officials in the Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border Mamit district where the repatriated Brus would be re-settled, said 494 Bru families staying in relief camps were already identified as bona-fide residents of Mizoram and willing to return.

However, a section of officials on condition of anonymity, said the state government could not resume the repatriation process expeditiously as the finance department was yet to release Rs 7.87 crore sanctioned by the Centre towards repatriation expenses.

READ MORE - Mizo core comm decides to resume repatriation of Bru tribals

Mizoram registers increase in IMR

AIZAWL: Mizoram has registered an increase in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) with 35 cases of children death during 2013-14 which is higher than the IMR of 2011-12 and 2012-13, reports, Sunday leading paper ‘Zalen’. About 29 infants had died during 2011 -12 and 28 child had been died of different diseases during 2012-13.

State Programme Officer, (RCH) Dr. Lalthanga assumed that the actual number of children died during 2013-14 might have been 30 against the record 35. Explaining about the cause of rise in IMR, Dr. Lalthanga said while the report of infant death has been received properly, many children death cases had been left unreported due to which IMR has increased considerably over the year as both the birth rate and death rate have to be compared. According to Dr. Lalthanga Saiha, Lawngtlai, Mamit and Lunglei districts have registered the highest IMR in the state. “The IMR is high especially among Chakma and Reang (Tuikuk) and to tackle the problem, stern measure should be taken up”, he added.

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Chawngthu becomes Mizoram's first woman legislator since 1987

Aizawl: Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu, elected as member of the Mizoram Legislature in the bypoll to the Hrangturzo seat on April 11, was sworn-in as a legislator by the state Assembly speaker Hiphei here on Tuesday.

Chawngthu would be the only woman legislator in the 40-member state Assembly and the first single woman legislator in the history of the state.

She also happened to be the first woman legislator in the state after a gap of 27 years.

Daughter of a senior Congress leader and former minister C Chawngkunga, she is president of the state PCC youth.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, his Cabinet colleagues, Deputy Speaker, parliamentary secretaries and legislators

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Myanmarese woman arrested with heroin in Mizoram

A 55-year-old woman was arrested with 72.5 gm of heroin worth Rs 2.2 lakh in the international market during a raid at Phunchawng village near here, officials said today.

Engzami was arrested in this connection after the drug was seized from her last night, Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department officials said.

The accused was later found to be a Myanmarese from Khawpual village, they said, adding the heroin was smuggled from Myanmar to sell in Aizawl, they said.

The woman was booked under relevant Sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, they said.

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Rapist father scares away daughter

Aizawl, May 19 : Rapist father's threat scared away a young girl from home in a Mizoram village.

A 12 year-old girl of Vairengte in Kolasib district of Mizoram reportedly ran away from home two days ago in fear of her own father who threatened to kill her.

The wicked father also used to rape his daughter, who is a student of CL-VI, sources said.

After she left home for life, the girl has been taken care of by Vairengte Joint MHIP, a unit of women welfare organisation in Mizoram.

The Joint MHIP also made arrangement for the accommodation for the ill-fated girl.

The local MHIP president Lalnunhlui said that they came to know from the little girl that her father used to rape her.

The MHIP leaders also learnt that the ill-mannered father has chopped off her daughter's index finger in 2012 .

As per sources, the father early last week threatened his daughter to death, following which the girl later in dreadful fear ran away for her life.

She then approached leaders of Vairengte Joint MHIP.

The latter immediately informed the matter to Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and as per instruction of CWC, MHIP filed a case at Vairengte Police Station.

When the Police sought the father of the daughter at his residence for arrest, they found the man in deep sleep and could not wake him, so carried him to Vairengte hospital.

The man is known to have taken sleeping pills.

READ MORE - Rapist father scares away daughter

Elections 2014: Mizoram likely to favour incumbent Congress

Wave of change' isn't exactly going to hit the northeastern state of Mizoram as the incumbent Congress looks set to emerge as the winner of the triangular battle in the state and retain the lone Lok Sabha seat.

With no Modi wave and the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate’s lack of attention to Mizoram, the Congress party is likely to maintain status quo in the state. Even the advent of the Aam Aadmi Party, which garnered more than 33 percent of the votes in Delhi Assembly polls last year, won't be a spoiler for the ruling party.

Also AAP’s recent criticism had put skepticism in people’s mind and the candidate chosen by it had yet to prove himself in the state.

The ruling Indian National Congress fielded sitting MP CL Ruala and United Democratic Front, an alliance of eight opposition parties, fielded Robert Romawia Royte, while the newly floated and contesting election in the state for the first time Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gave ticket to a retired IAS officer M Lalmanzuala.

The Congress party bagged the lone seat in the 2009 LS polls and also in the last year's assembly elections in the state the results were in favour of the incumbent Congress after it was mauled in other four major states.

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Mizoram has big Eco-Tourism potential: UN

Aizawl: Visiting UN Mission Technical experts said today that Mizoram has a big potential in Eco-Tourism and Adventure Tourism.

The UN Team continues to visit different parts of Mizoram while carrying out ground study work for the proposed joint UN Mission to bring about progress and development to Mizoram in varied fields.

The UN Team today visited Zohanco Emporium at Chaltlang, Factory and Showroom of Hnamchhantu Pawl at Upper Republic Veng and Squash garden at Sihphir. Besides, they also held interaction with placement officials of Mizoram University at State Guest House. The UN Team members divided themselves into 3 groups to visit different places. Sandeep Tandon and Manjula Bhuyan, both from UNIDO, visited the work sites of ZohanCo and Hnamchhantu Pawl and studied their initiatives and their problems as well.  

Sanjeev Kumar Gupta and Kalpana Tawakley, who are from UNDP, on the other visited squash gardens of Sihphir. The farmers acquainted them of their system of marketing their produce and of their several initiatives and problems.

Meanwhile, Antonio Palewal, from FAO, held interaction with Placement officials of Mizoram University at State Guest House, whereat they discussed over ways of joint venture between Mizoram University and UNO.

The UN Mission Technical Team members, namely, Sandeep Tandon (UNIDO), Ms Manjula Bhyan (UNIDO), Ms Antonia Paliwal (FAO), Ms Kalpana Tawakley (UNDP), and Sanjeev Kumar Gupta (UNDP) had also yesterday visited Fodder Farm at Thenzawl run by AH & Vety Department.

The UN Mission Technical Team, after they visited the Fodder Farm in a wide 690 acre area along roadside, spoke of their wishes to the department officials that the location of the farm be shifted to other place, given that the present area, which is a good one, could be utilized for tourist attraction and for other purposeful things.

They also suggested that a proper record of the production of fodder and its profit per square metre be maintained. They also stressed that any new step may be taken after proper study and even the would-be workers may be given proper training.

Members of the UN Mission Team also visited Handloom owners and weavers at Thenzawl. The weavers apprised them of their several problems including their problem in procurement of raw materials, especially in procuring the colour they like.

On learning that their finished products are marketed to different parts of India and even abroad, the UN team members felt much encouraged, and expressed their will to help think for their progress, and also spoke of their plan to approach the government authority on their several needs.

Meanwhile, due to inclement weather, the UN Mission Technical Team could not visit PIGFED at Thenzawl and YMA Reserved Forest at Sailam village. Instead, they visited Tourist Resort at Hmuifang Tlang. The UN Team expressed their joy to see the vast expanse of green forest owned by Mizoram, adding their perception that Mizoram has a bright future in Eco-Tourism and Adventure Tourism. It is necessary to take step in this regard, they said.

The UN Mission technical Team also on Saturday visited Lunglei District where they met with government officials besides NGOs and Society leaders.   

Explaining the main purpose of their visit, the UN Team Leader Sandeep Tandon (UNIDO) said that UNO is planning to carry out development mission in 3 Indian States, which included Mizoram, and that they will begin their work in Mizoram. They are now coming for ground study before starting the mission, he said.
Tandon further said that as the needs of the states are all different, they are to chalk out plans which shall help the Mizo people to develop and progress.

Besides, Sandeep Tandon, Manjula Bhuyan (UNIDO), Antonia Paliwal (FAO), Kalpana Tawakley (UNDP) and Sanjeev Kumar Gupta (UNDP) also spoke and said that they shall look widely into various fields considering the climate of Mizoram, its natural resources, bamboo and forest, electricity, handicraft, tourism societal administration.

Saying that they will also study the practice of shifting cultivation by the Mizo people while considering climatic change, the UN Team said that the main objective of UN Programme is ”food, livelihood, environmental security”.

READ MORE - Mizoram has big Eco-Tourism potential: UN

‘Impossible to fix HSRPs on all vehicles before June 14’

AIZAWL: Fixing of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles would not be completed within the time prescribed by the Mizoram government, reliable sources said here.

According to Shimnit Utsch India Pvt. Ltd, the company engaged by the Mizoram government for the fixing of High Security Registration Plate (HSRP), around 74695 High Security plates have been fixed till May 6. “The fixing work is unlikely to finish within a stipulated time”, company sources said. As per government prescription, all vehicles in Mizoram should have the high security plates by June 14, 2014.

READ MORE - ‘Impossible to fix HSRPs on all vehicles before June 14’

Aizawl: Heroin Worth Rs. 3.14 Lakh Seized, Two Myanmarese Nationals Arrested

Aizawl:  Heroin worth Rs. 3.14 lakh has been seized by the Special Narcotics Cell of the Mizoram Police at Aizawl.
       
Two Myanmarese nationals were arrested in this connection yesterday, the police said.
       
The two persons were identified as Vannuampuii (27) and Lalbiaksanga (25).

Anti Narcotics Squad of the state Excise and Narcotics department also seized 70 grams of heroin at Seling near Aizawl on Wednesday and arrested Vanlalrinsanga (20) of Mizoram-Myanmar border Zokhawthar village.

Meanwhile, in a joint operation, officials of the Customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized 10,000 tablets of Methamphetamine at Mizoram-Myanmar border Melbuk village on Wednesday.

Lalruaipuii (26) and Lalnunpuia Bawitlung (45), both residents of Khawimawi in Myanmar, were arrested in this connection.

The officials said that the seized drugs cost rupees one crore in the local market.

READ MORE - Aizawl: Heroin Worth Rs. 3.14 Lakh Seized, Two Myanmarese Nationals Arrested

Mizoram urged to probe blast

Hailakandi, May 2 : Hailakandi district police have written to their counterparts in Kolasib district of neighbouring Mizoram seeking a high-level inquiry to identify those involved in yesterday’s explosion at a primary school along the inter-state boundary.

Sources said superintendent of police, Hailakandi, Brojenjit Singha, sought the inquiry as residents of the area suspect the involvement of goons from Mizoram in the blast that damaged a major portion of the school.

Hailakandi district shares 80km border with Mizoram.

The school, Kachurthal Lower Primary School, constructed under the Axom Sarba Siksha Abhiyan, is about 90km from Hailakandi town.

The deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of Hailakandi district in Assam and Kolasib district of Mizoram have agreed to intensify vigil along the border to prevent escalation of tension on the inter-state border.

The Assam-Mizoram border dispute started in 2004 in Hailakandi when two reconstructed thatched houses were demolished by criminals. Damage to crops, irrigation pipes and theft of domestic animals and vegetables from Assam’s land are common along the border. .

The block elementary education officer of Katlicherra education block of Hailakandi district, Sailesh Chandra Roy, extra-assistant commissioner James Aind, circle inspector of Hailakandi police Amitabha Bhattacharjee and officer-in-charge of Ramnathpur police station, Mukut Hazarika, along with the forest officials rushed to the spot at Kachurthal and took the stock of the situation.

Bhattacharjee, who is supervising border vigil after the blast, told The Telegraph that the situation is normal along the border and no tension prevailed after the blast in the school.

The Hailakandi district committee of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) condemned the blast in the school. The president of the committee, Jahir Uddin, smelled a conspiracy. A resident of Kachurthal said destruction of the building would affect classes.

IED found: An IED along with 35 gelatin sticks and 20 detonators were recovered today from a passenger bus that was going to Harinagar, 55km from Silchar. Police arrested a couple, Thwena Kuki, 40 and Mary, 35 who were allegedly carrying the box containing the explosives.

READ MORE - Mizoram urged to probe blast