Address To The Memebers Mizoram Legislative Assembly
MIZORAM : 24-09-2005
Missions for Mizoram's Prosperity
I am delighted to be in this beautiful environment of Aizawl and also to get this opportunity to address the Hon'ble Members of the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram. I am very happy to be here in the Mizoram Legislative Assembly which is an institution that gives vision to the state, evolves the legal frame-work for the policies and programmes of the state and gives shape to the aspirations of the people of this state, 50% of whom live in rural areas.
The political history and economic growth of Mizoram are seen to be rhythmic and closely interwoven with that of our nation as a whole. Legislative Assembly of Mizoram has witnessed and wisely guided several important phases of the State?s growth since its formation in the year 1987. In the face of many challenges, various governments have placed Mizoram on a positive-growth track. I would like to discuss with the Hon'ble Members of Mizoram Legislative Assembly: "Missions for Mizoram's Prosperity".
Our National Mission - Challenges
Our nation is going through a major challenge of uplifting of 260 million people who are below the poverty line. They
need habitat, they need food, they need health care, and they need education and employment finally resulting in a good life. Our GDP is growing at more than 6% per annum. Whereas, the economists suggest that to uplift the people below poverty line, our economy has to grow at the rate of 10% per annum consistently, for over a decade.
Integrated Action for Development
To meet the needs of one billion people whose number will further increase, we have a mission of transforming India into a developed nation. We have identified five areas where India has core competencies for integrated action: (1) Agriculture and food processing (2) Reliable and Quality Electric power, Surface transport and Infrastructure for all parts of the country. (3) Education and Healthcare (4) Information and Communication Technology (5) Strategic
sectors. These five areas are closely inter-related and when effectively addressed, would lead to food, economic, energy and national security.
Engines for Growth
modern society. We should also remember that about 50% of our population is young people, with aspirations for a better life. Value addition to Agriculture, Manufacturing and Service sectors of the economy, building on the regions' core competencies and technologies, will lead to high income growth rate and employment potential. The engines for growth will be launching of the five national missions viz. water, energy, education and skills, infrastructure and employment generation, which will enable achievement of 10% GDP growth rate per annum, sustainable for a minimum period of ten years. Developed States result in developed India. Now I would like to discuss about the core competence of Mizoram.
Core competence of Mizoram
Mizoram is bounded by our own state of Assam,
Manipur, Tripura and also with an international border of 722 km with Bangladesh and Myanmar. It is a mountainous state and has four major rivers, large biodiversity and friendly people. Mizoram, having a moderate climate throughout the year, is also a home to many a rare species of birds, flora and fauna. With this climate and locale Mizoram is rich in forest, agricultural produce, bamboo, handloom, handicrafts, sericulture, and horticultural products. The literacy in Mizoram is over 88% which is next only to Kerala. With all these favourable factors, what can be the missions for Mizoram ? There cannot be any other mission,
other than removing the poverty of the 16% people who are living below the poverty line and bringing prosperity to the State in a time bound manner. At this stage, let me share with you a Development Radar brought out by the Planning Commission for various states. The boundary of octagon projected in the development radar indicates the maximum achievements of various indicators of development. The smaller octagon represents the national average. While we appreciate you for your achievements in literacy, formal education and life expectancy, the Hon?ble Members must realize that Mizoram has got the potential to remove the poverty altogether, increase the per capita expenditure, reduce the infant mortality rate, provide safe water and pucca house to each family.
Focus Mizoram My presentation to this Legislative Assembly will focus on how the percapita income of Mizoram can be increased from the existing Rs. 27,000 to Rs. 54,000 (at 2004-2005) in three years time and also to create investment friendly climate leading to employment avenues for the 30,000 unemployed persons of the state. Now I would like to discuss with the Members, the Law of Development that defines the competitiveness.
In Mizoram, with its Human Development Index at 7, it is possible to increase the revenue generation of the state and earning capacity of the citizens through creating market avenues in the border countries such as Bangaladesh and Myanmar in addition to meeting the local requirement. Of course, I can see the political environment, you have to continuously improve with these border countries, so that our North Eastern States benefit in the business at the same time keeping security as a primary need in the mind. We need to go for agro food processing by value addition and also the large scale cultivation of bamboo and converting into structural and furniture products. I am proposing a secured economic zone in 2000 hectares to establish Bio-technology park and IT park and other small scale industries. Particularly for the Border trade, fruits, vegetables, sericulture, ginger, turmeric.
Missions for Mizoram
Let us study what are the missions which Mizoram can undertake using the core competence of the state. The following are the missions for Mizoram's Prosperity by the year 2015.
1. Bio-fuel mission 2. Bamboo Mission
3. Horticulture 4. Preparing Paramedics and technicians with quality Training
5. Tourism including General, Spiritual and eco-tourism.
6. Creating Secured Exclusive Economic Zone
7. Establishment of PURA for Rural prosperity
Let me now discuss the each missions individually.
Misson # 1 Bio-fuel mission
Mizoram has 2,60,000 hectares of barren uncultivated area and cultivable waste land. Certain multi-purpose bio-fuel
plants can grow well in this land with very minimum input. Once cultivated, the crop has fifty years of life. Fruiting can take place in these plants in two years.
Bio-fuel plants can be grown in at least fifty percent of the waste land, namely, one lakh thirty thousand hectares. This plantation can result in producing one lakh thirty thousand tons of bio-fuel in a year. The Central Government has approved mixing of 10% bio-fuel with diesel for cars, where as there are experiences in case of trucks and tractors,
mini vans higher percentages of bio-fuel in India. The approximate revenue will be Rs.325 Crores a year and will provide employment for 1,30,000 people. It will reduce the foreign exchange outflow paid for importing crude oil, the cost of which is continuously rising in the international market. This Bio-fuel is carbon neutral. The oil can also be used for soap and in candle industries. De-oiled cake is a raw material for composting and the plantation is also good for honey production. This will be the additional benefit from the plantation of Jatropha a popular bio-fuel plant being planted in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttaranchal besides Ministry of Railways. Mizoram should mount a mission mode programme, absorb the best of the technologies available in the country and start commercial production immediately. One time investment needed for bio-fuel plantation can come from the Ministry of Rural Development. The capital equipment and investment in plant and machinery can come from bank loans and private sector entrepreneurs also. I have seen the progress in bio-fuel plant cultivation, preparation of seedlings, tissue culture and development of non-toxic hybrid varieties in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Bio-fuel plant Jatropha has also been planted in the waste land of Rashtrapati Bhavan and as a demonstration farm to the farmers.
Mission # 2: Bamboo Mission
This mission envisages an integrated programme of expansion of plantations of Bamboo species, the scientific management, and promotion of community level value addition and entrepreneurship. This will enable presenting the raw material for the industries and the industry to access and apply modern technology for producing globally competitive new generation bamboo products. This includes setting up of clusters of small value addition processing units, near the resource for employment generation and benefit to the local small entrepreneur. Processed raw material suitable for ultimate use in industry/handicraft sector will be required, for
economizing handling cost of raw material to the location of industry proposed to be set up in different parts of the country. Even though I realize that you have a problem of Bamboo flowering and certain budgeting provision has been made to handle the problem. I have a different view, we have to find a scientific solution. When the bamboo clusters are reaching the flowering stage (say) after four decades, it should be properly carbon dated, then one decade before the final target, fresh cultivation starts, and the aged one should be completed uprooted. The programme envisages the cultivation of bamboo over Ten thousand hectares of waste land in addition to the existing bamboo cultivation. The economic and social benefit from these activities, will lead to the creation of forty thousand jobs and the market opportunities worth over Rs. 32 crores with an investment of Rs. 13 crore. This will be useful for further development of the Mizoram. We should use the management personnel, industrial experts and business houses to provide international market connectivity for our bamboo products leading to sustainable growth, wealth generation and positive contribution to the growth of Mizoram's GDP. The institutions like National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Indian Institutes of Management, Industrial houses and Mizoram Government can work together to generate number of Bamboo enterprises in different HILL PURA clusters.
Mission # 3 Horticulture
Mizoram is a potential state for cultivation of Cash crops like Tapioca, ginger, fruits like orange, lemon, kagziline, pineapple and papaya. These crops can be taken up in a mission mode and setting up the fruit and vegetable processing plants for value addition. This will facilitate distant marketing of horticulture produce of Mizoram. Mizoram climate is most suitable for cultivation of cut flowers such as anthurium which fetches Rs.6 to 25 per piece in Delhi market and has an export potential. I would suggest the
horticulturists to concentrate on promotion of this flower cultivation in this state and marketing within the country and exporting abroad. For this road and air connectivity is essential. The target for anthurium marketing could be initially start with atleast Rs.10 Crores worth of anthurium every year. This will be a wealth generator cum employment opportunity provider mission for the farmers of the state. The Mizoram Government can take the assistance of the National Horticultural Mission for technical, managerial and financial support.
Mission # 4 Preparing Paramedics and technicians with quality Training
India is in the process of improving the healthcare services which will need additional 5 lakh nurses. As per the
latest report, worldwide requirement for nurses are estimated to be around one million from now to 2012. Presently, in India about 50,000 nurses qualifies every year. There is a need to increase this capacity to 2 lakhs within the next five years in the country. Mizoram has a core competence in nursing, because of its cultural environment. Mizoram can make use of this opportunity and create a Nursing College with a capacity for training 200 nurses at a time. In addition there must be a special drive to equip the nurses with training at various healthcare centers and super speciality environments and equip them with language skills and proficiencies that can match the required international standards. This will be one of the important employment avenues for the compassionate women of Mizoram. The Department of Health in Mizoram should draw up a scheme and create the training facility in collaboration with the Central Government immediately. In addition there is a need for many other specialized paramedical personnel. Skilled technicians and the para medical assistance are in great demand world over in the healthcare sector. The Tremendous potential exists for educated youth to take up nursing and para-medics as a profession. The generation of quality nurses and skilled technicians can be taken as one of missions for the development of healthcare services and employment generations in Mizoram.
In addition to the above, Mizoram University has to be reinforced with the courses like Bio-technology and bio-farming, IT, management courses. They can also introduce a course for the design of bamboo products in collaboration with National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
Mission # 5 : Tourism including General, Spiritual, Health, Science There are number of places of interest in Mizoram which
will be an attraction for the tourists. The visitor is attracted to historic memorials and fabled caves, scattered all over the state. Traveling in Mizoram in the mountainous regions is painstaking and little hazardous at times. The highest peak in Mizoram, Blue Mountain which is situated overlooking Koldyne River is an important tourist spot. The peak is encircled by bamboo groves at the top where there is level ground of 200 hectares. Other tourist spots are Pukzing cave, Milupuk, Sibuta lung, Chhing Puy memorial and Lord Bhudda's image at a site near Mual Cheng village.
Infrastructure Development: When the tourists visit any state, they like to realize maximum value for their stay which can come only through reliable and fast travel facilities to all tourist destinations. Creation of these facilities will involve infrastructural development such as helipads, railway line, multi lane roads and good transportation systems to interior parts of Mizoram.
Another important infrastructural need is quality clean accommodation, which can be realized through public-private sector participation. Adequate number of hotel rooms with various amenities including good environment and communication facilities has to be planned.
Human Resource Development: We need people friendly professional tour operators having proficiency in this field. They should have the ability to use modern tools and be able to provide in-depth factual data about various places of interests to the tourists. They should also guide them to avail diversified tourist products such as general, spiritual, and eco-tourism.
The website of Mizoram Government gives some basic information about hotels and possible routes etc, but it still does not exploit the visual power of the web to project the natural beauty and cultural complexities of Mizoram. The website should aim at taking the tourists on Virtual Tour and provide customized tour, based on the interest of the tourists.
Wealth Generation: Mizoram with its unique tourist places of interest can definitely increase the tourist arrival to five lakhs, both national and international, from the existing less than a lakh. Every tourist national or international generates at least 4 jobs as per the international experience. This increase in tourist arrival will provide additional employment to large number of Mizoram youth in various sectors of the tourism industry. It will also generate business of over Rs.50 crore. While promoting tourism we should ensure that ecology is not disturbed and the natural environment is fully protected.
The Department of Tourism, Government of India is keen to develop tourist destinations and circuits in MIZORAM and also they are actively involved in advertising MIZORAM tourist packages in different media.
Mission # 6: Creation of Secure Exclusive Economic Zone
Both Central and State budget normally will have a core
task of GDP growth of the state and also the employment generation. This core task will fructify only by investing the budgeted fund in agriculture and food processing, investment in industries including small scale industries and service sector particularly in the IT enabled services. A method has to be found, how the development in all the three sectors of the economy can be evolved within the Mizoram environment. That is the beautiful natural environment; the beautiful industrial environment has to be created. It is in the hands of this legislative assembly. How it can be done? I have given few thoughts. Let me share with you. I suggest the Mizoram legislative assembly to consider forming one Secure Exclusive Economic Zone in the state depending upon the core competence, particularly in the production of IT, BT products, agro-food processing, handloom and handicrafts etc.
What can be the unique ambience of the Secure Exclusive Economic Zone?
a. Mizoram government has to provide land (about 2000 hectares) in a particular area, power, and water with physical and electronic connectivity.
b. Fast single window clearance for attracting the investment.
c. Mizoram's legislative assembly's assurance for proactive policies for ensuring the uninterrupted work culture in the secure economic zone.
d. Employees have to be partners in these enterprises.
This secured economic zone will attract the ICT, Bio-tech and small and medium industries to invest and increase the economic activity in Mizoram. These facilities should be created using the Non Lapsable Pool Resource Fund available for the North Eastern States.
Mission # 7: Establishment of PURA for Rural prosperity I have studied about Mizoram's terrain and the number of districts, towns and villages. Mizoram and its regions
require a unique Hill PURA (Provision Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) due to the existence of varying terrain conditions. I would recommend establishment of 20 PURA units for Mizoram. This will provide four critical connectivities between villages located in different geographic locations enabling accelerated economic growth: physical, electronic and knowledge connectivity, leading to economic connectivity. The fund for the implementation for PURA has to come from annual budget of the state and the Bharat Nirman Programme of the central government. Let us study those connectivities.
Essential Connectivities These are: physical connectivity of
village clusters through quality roads and transport so that all the villages will be connected by the road and in turn into the high ways. Electronic connectivity through tele-communication with satellite, high bandwidth fiber optic cables, wireless reaching the rural areas from cities and through internet kiosks. This will enable the urban facilities like super speciality hospitals, educational institutions to provide value added services to rural areas. Knowledge connectivity provides education, skills training for farmers,
artisans and craftsmen and entrepreneurship programmes. These three connectives will lead to Economic connectivity so that employment potential will increase through starting of small scale industries, food processing industries coming in a big way with the help of banks, micro credits. Hill PURA: I would like to share with you the design of the Hill PURA.
Physical Connectivity: Construction of hill roads and ropeways is an important element of Hill PURA. Each of the tourist spot will have a good link road to Aizawl. Some times road transportation may be complemented with heli-
transportation. Establishment of Community Sheds for storage of perishable hill produces so that they can be transported to the airbase with the fastest speed. The planning of physical connectivity should be such that from each place the tourists or the local citizen must be able to find an alternative route to reach the main town in case of problems in one of the routes.
Electronic Connectivity: All the hill villages in the state have to be linked with the District Headquarters through VSAT connectivities. Farmers and tour operators should be provided with broadcasting facilities through Satellite radios
and HAMSAT network. Mobile cell phone with GPS facility may be provided for each tourist operator.
Knowledge Connectivity: Government should facilitate the training of youth in modern agriculture, horticulture, agro-processing, application of technology for improving the productivity, storage and preservation systems and cost effective marketing, banking & financing systems through the District Headquarters. It will also provide adequate warning data on landslides and road blocks so that the members can find alternate route to reach the capital. Economic Connectivity: These three connectivities -
physical, electronic and knowledge will motivate and enable the local population to create economic centres such as Cold Storage of vegetables, fruits and flowers and infrastructure for packaging and marketing for realizing the value added price. This will also provide alternative employment oriented schemes during non-agricultural season for people who are involved in agriculture and other activities. Such economically oriented job creating activities should be the objective of our rural development schemes. I would like to recall one experience in North Gujarat, a tribal village, how it has been transformed into an economic prosperity.
A typical PURA for Tribal Region: Food security and self-
employment with good income is crucial in tribal regions. I would like to share with you an integrated village cluster development model. In these regions every summer the tribal people migrate to nearby towns. BAIF - (Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation) has introduced a model in two villages with peoples' co-operation and the participation of state authorities. Firstly water harvesting was undertaken to get water for every individual. Every home was provided with livestock and also a market for milk. Simultaneously, fruit orchards were established with various fruit crops such as cashew and mangoes, which are tolerant to drought. When I visited, these villages, there was a connecting road and water ponds. The tribal population, with radiant smiles on their faces, was harvesting crops, packaging and carrying milk to different supply points. I happened to see the economic growth and prosperity of the tribal people, which has been facilitated by BAIF with people's participation. I understand that this model ? Vadi (Orchard) has now been replicated in many places by the state governments in the hilly regions. Mizoram can benefit from this experience. I can suggest the expert to come Mizoram and share their experiences. This will certainly bring Rural Prosperity to Mizoram.
Entrepreneurship
All these seven missions which I have discussed will require generation of large number of entrepreneurs in the State through entrepreneurship programmes. The academic institutions in Mizoram generate about 1000 graduates per year and the 10th class and 10+2 students will be around 10,000. All of them will seek employment either within Mizoram, outside the state or abroad. Now the school syllabus and university syllabus have to be integrated with entrepreneurship courses. The students at the end of the course should get a certificate or a diploma. This will enable
students qualified in these schools and colleges, to have the confidence that they can start the small enterprises in agriculture, manufacturing or services especially in the areas of bamboo, Jatropha, horticulture, tourism, handloom/handicraft industry and creation of PURAs. Banks have to be entrepreneur friendly and should give them venture capital and support these young entrepreneurs and their creative ideas. This system will change the situation in all the states, particularly in Mizoram by generating employment providers rather than employment seekers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to share some thoughts with the Hon'ble Members of Mizoram Legislative Assembly. Mizoram has got the advantage of bio-diversity, natural resources, good climate and hardworking people.
Mizoram emerged as a peaceful state in the Indian map; I realize this peace has come to you from lot of pain and struggle of the people. This hard won peace has to be complimented with creative task and missions, to empower the people of Mizoram and succeed economically.
The combination of peace and economic prosperity is indeed the dream of the pioneers of the state. Realizing the economic prosperity with peace has to be the mission of the members of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly. You have all the potential and the courage.
May God bless you.