iMizoram : i Mizoram

Thursday, May 29, 2014

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.

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.

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.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

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.

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.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

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.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

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.