Final voters list published in Mizoram

Mizoram election department today published the final electoral roll after completion of the special summary revision of the voters.

Of the total 6,86,305 voters in the state, 3,36,799 are males, Joint Chief Electoral Office H Lalengmawia said.

The increase in the number of voters compared to the last summary revision in January last is 6,050 voters, he said.

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NLUP makes good progress in Mizoram : Lal Thanhawla

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today claimed that the flagship programme of his government, the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) has made good progress.

In his Independence Day speech after unfurling the tricolour at the Assam Rifles round in Aizawl, Lal Thanhawla said that the NLUP, aimed to transform the state's economy by focusing on generating income and both on-farm and off-farm employment activities had got pace.

He also claimed that the original target of 1.2 lakh beneficiaries for five years had been achieved during the first three years since the launching of the policy in the early part of 2011 and the beneficiaries have taken up trade activities of their choice that spread over the entire state.

"Another fresh 15,000 beneficiaries are proposed to be covered for which supplementary plan has been submitted to the Planning Commission," he said.

He said that the Planning Commission had released Rs 1,208.82 crore upto the fourth year against the additional central assistance (ACA) component.

Lal Thanhawla congratulated the people of Mizoram for helping in maintaining peace in the state and said that barring a few incidents of abduction by the NLFT from across the border the situation in the state was by and large peaceful during the past one year.

Outlining the developmental projects taken up by the state government, he made special mention to the recent clearance of the proposed 210-megawatt Tuivai Hydro Electricity Project by the Centre to be funded under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the fist time in the country and also to be taken up as the Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode in the north-east region.

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Security beefed up in Mizoram for I-Day

Though none of the north east insurgents boycotted the Independence Day in Mizoram, security was beefed up in the state in view of the celebrations for the occasion tomorrow.

Tight security arrangements were made in and around the Assam Rifles ground where Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio would unfurl the national flag tomorrow, Aizawl district Superintendent of Police L R Dingliana Sailo told PTI.

Strict vigil was being maintained at vital installations, Sailo said.

Night patrol and mobile patrolling by police personnel were beefed up since a few days earlier in various parts of the state.

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Mizoram Minister accused of possessing illegal drug licenses

Aizawl, Aug 13 : Mizoram main opposition party, the Mizo National Front (MNF), has accused Health Minister Lalrinliana Sailo of possessing “illegal” drugs licence in the name of his son “who is still under age”.

Interacting with mediapersons at the Mizo Hnam Run on Saturday, MNF General Secretary (Vigilance Dept) Lalrintluanga Sailo said: “Health Minister Lalrinliana Sailo has misused his power by giving his minor son 4 drug licences (wholesale and general)”.

The licence is given at Zokhawthar in Champhai District, he added. He further said that when the purpose for giving the licence comprising wholesale and general licence is verified, it becomes apparently clear that it has connection with what the people of Mizoram, NGOs and chucrh leaders are concerned with, that is, “drugs smuggling.”

Reacting to the allegations, Lalrinliana Sailo said: “I am the one who believe that to indulge in such a menace is inviting a deadly consequence upon generations; therefore, I take such an accusation as nothing but jealousy allegations against the Health Department, which is being led by God.

It is an attack coming forth not from one who loves the nation.” Lalrinliana Sailo further said, “In 2010 too, when my daughter appeared in the MBBS exam, MNF activist intruded into the exam hall and threatened her…. and they even intruded into the office of Joint Director regarding the same.”

Meanwhile, MNF said that Zokhawthar village is a temporary place set up by the Central Custom Department and Mizoram state government for trade purpose with neighbouring Burma and that the minister’s son is too young carry out big business in the village.

Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) in a press release has defended the Health Minister against the accusation made by MNF Vigilance Dept stating that this charge is “unfounded and baseless” and the accusation is nothing but an “attempt to defame the minister.”

MPCC mentioned in its press release that there are at present more than 4000 people in Mizoram who possess Drug Licenses and that possessing Drug License is not a crime; rather those who are in need and eligible are given by the government.

The MPCC added that the Health Minister’s father has supplied medicine since 1945, and following their father’s profession, Lalrinliana has one license in his son’s name.

“The accusation against the Health Minister that he possessed 4 drugs license is a complete lie,”the Congress party press release said.

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Work on Tuivai Hydro Electric Project to begin soon

The construction of the 210 MW Tuivai Hydro Electric Project in Mizoram would take off soon with the Centre giving a nod for the Rs 1,750.6 crore project.

The fund would be provided under the Viability Gap Funding and would be taken up in the Public Private Partnership mode, Parliamentary Secretary for Power and Electricity Lal Thanzara said today.

Lal Thanzara told reporters that the hydro electric project was approved on July 23 by the Union Finance Ministry's Empowered Institution.

Mizoram was the first state to avail funding under the VGF and the first northeastern state to take up a mega project in PPP mode.

The Tuivai dam would submerge 1,600 hectare, but not residential areas, Power department engineer-in-chief C L Thangliana said.

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Mizoram principal secretary placed under suspension

AIZAWL: The Mizoram government has placed PC Lallawmsanga, principal secretary (Industries), under suspension for his alleged involvement in floating a company without being authorized by the state government to do so.

Though the suspension order issued by state chief secretary L Tochhong late last evening did not cite any specific reason to Lallawmsanga, a 1984-batch IPS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, Tochhong on Thursday told some newsmen that the government was contemplating to take disciplinary action against the principal secretary.

The suspension order said Lallawmsanga should not leave Aizawl without obtaining permission from competent authorities.

Lallawmsanga allegedly established the Mizoram Direct Marketing Limited, a multi-level marketing enterprise, and launched the same on July 18 at a function in Kolkata. The event was attended by a number of executives from top companies and former bureaucrats, especially from Tamil Nadu.

He has been accused of establishing the firm as a Mizoram government-owned company without getting the nod from the state cabinet and also sans permission from the state finance and planning departments.

The state government had earlier issued a disclaimer saying Lallawmsanga, principal secretary of the industries department, is reportedly the man behind establishing the company and launching it in his personal capacity. The disclaimer said whatever Lallawmsanga did was not on behalf of the government.

"Government officers floating a business outfit to conduct commercial activities by branding the concern as a wholly owned company by the government of Mizoram requires policy decision by the cabinet," the disclaimer said. It added that the memorandum of association & articles of association have neither been vetted by the law department nor concurred by the finance department before approaching the Registrar of Companies.

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MSCW seeks representation

Mizoram State Commission for Women (MSCW) has said that it wanted women representation in the State Assembly.

“Like a house without a woman is incomplete, the government machinery is also incomplete without women,” the commission said in a statement on Thursday after a meeting of the commission members.

The demand of the panel is not without reason. In the history of Mizoram, women have never been elected or nominated as Member of Parliament despite the state having two MP seats since its birth.

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