118 villages in Mizoram yet to be connected by all-weather roads: Guv

Aizawl: Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Saturday said 118 remote villages in the state are still without all-weather roads and emphasised the need for increased support from the Centre to connect these far-flung areas.

Speaking at the 72nd plenary meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Tripura's capital Agartala, Kambhampati said projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are limited in these villages due to fewer habitations, highlighting the need for further support. The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister and NEC chairman Amit Shah.

Kambhampati lauded the initiative of the DoNER ministry for "leveraging investment in the region.

Highlighting Mizoram's commitment to attracting investments, he said, "The state has set up an inter-departmental investment promotion cell (IPC), which is currently engaging with investors in tourism and hospitality and skill development sectors."

Acknowledging the ongoing efforts of the DoNER ministry in establishing 24 growth centres and 20 border centres as part of the vision to create a North East economic corridor, the governor urged the ministry to "look into the feasibility of integrating cross-border markets to attract more investment partners from neighbouring countries."

He further urged the DoNER ministry and the NEC to "establish a state-of-the-art skill development centre in Mizoram to promote vocational education in the state." The governor also emphasised the need to upgrade Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under the state government to bridge the employable skill gap for various trades and advocated for "the creation of a common exhibition centre in metropolitan cities to promote handloom, handicrafts, and organic agricultural products."

Regarding the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), which has been underway in Mizoram since 2021, Kambhampati pointed out challenges such as "non-availability of sufficient seedlings and poor agriculture farm roads" as the main hindrances to its expansion.

He stressed the need to "devise a strong market structure" and proposed the "establishment of a dedicated organic certification agency for the region" to enhance prospects in organic farming.

The governor expressed gratitude for the central government's consistent efforts to promote development in the Northeastern state and appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on the importance of the region as a vital part of the nation during the recently concluded 'Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav.' He further lauded the DoNER ministry and NEC for formulating a comprehensive North East Region Vision 2047, which he described as "a progressive roadmap for the region's development" and considered it a significant achievement.

The plenary meeting was also attended by Union DoNER minister and NEC vice-chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister of State for DoNER Sukanta Majumdar, governors and chief ministers of Northeastern states, among others.