The Lushai Hills District continued to be part of undivided Assam and it was put under the provision of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Subsequently, Lushai Hills Autonomous District Council later on Mizo District Council and Pawi Lakher Regional Council functioned side by side in Lushai Hills. Lushai Hills was later declared as Union Territory with the name “Mizoram” on 21st January, 1972 under the provision of the North Eastern Areas (Recognition Act of 1972). With its up gradation to the status of Union Territory, Mizo District Council was abolished and Pawi Lakher Regional Council was trifurcated into three District Councils. Later on, Mizoram becomes the twenty – third state of the Indian Union since 14th July, 1986 as a result of assent given by the President of India to the Constitution’s Fifty Third Amendment, Act of 1986.

Mizoram is the symbol of peace at present among the North Eastern states because it can be cited as the only state in the region where peaceful atmosphere is maintained after signing accord with the Government of India. The Shillong Accord of 1975 between the Government of India and the Naga National Council (NNC) and the Assam Accord of 1985 could be mentioned as two prominent accords, signed in the region; however, the status of the two accords whether they were really effective or not can be pondered by one and all. In the case of Mizoram Accord, ‘farewell to arms’ was the cry and it was effectively pursued too. Therefore, Mizoram is still known and recognized as a peaceful state. Mizoram marches ahead in various fields but it still needs certain things for progress of the state as well as for development and benefits of North East India as a whole. Therefore, the ten things which Mizoram requires for development and benefits of the North Eastern Region shall b e analysed as given below.

 

1. Self-sufficiency in Agriculture

Rice is the staple food of different tribes of the Zo ethnic group in general and those tribes of the Zo ethnic group of Mizoram in particular. However, a large quantity of the requirement of rice for Mizoram is imported from outside through the Food corporation of India (FCI). In fact, Mizoram can be self-sufficient in rice production if the available options, namely, wet rice cultivation and dry terrace cultivation are developed properly within the state. Scope for harnessing Wet Rice Cultivation is available in Champhai District, Kolasib District, Serchhip District, Tuichawng river valley, Thega river valley, Diltlang valley, Tuiphal river valley and Chamdur valley in Lawngtlai District; Pala valley, Salyu valley, Vathlo and Tolyu valleys in Saiha District. Chamdur valley is said to have a vast potential but it is not yet harnessed and proper irrigation facilities for irrigating paddy field of the valley is not yet taken up both by the Autonomous District Council and the State Government. Not only food grain, but cultivation of other agricultural crops including horticulture should be scientifically improved and self-sufficiency should be achieved. Further, market and shopping facilities for the products should also be properly planned and implemented in order to relieve the farmers with marketing hassles. If long term and far-sighted policies are adopted and the above mentioned options are properly harnessed, the requirement of Mizoram in food grains as well as other agricultural and horticultural production is expected to be produced within the state. Then, Mizoram will be self-sufficient in agriculture sector and self-sufficiency of Mizoram will also enhance economic self-sufficiency of the region.

2. Requirement for Industrial Development

Well-developed industry is the foundation for socio-economic development of any social and political set-up. The developed or G-8 countries of the world are all industrially developed countries. However, countries with rich natural resources and good agricultural production remain undeveloped if they are backward in industrial know-how. Good production in agriculture and natural resources cannot do any justice for economic development in the absence of well-developed industry. As a matter of fact, industrial development is the stepping stone for building up the socio-economic status of any political set-up. Mizoram is an industrially backward state and there are no large scale and medium scale industries worth mentioning in Mizoram. There may be some small scale industries and sick public corporations. There is ample opportunity for development of cottage industries in Mizoram which can also be benefited by other states of the region. In fact, the potential of Mizoram for certain industrial sector has not yet been harnessed properly.

3. Emphasis on Rural Development

The percentage of urban population in Mizoram is 49.63% and the rural population comprise of 50.37 percent as per the census report of 2011. (Census of India, 2011) It is evident that Mizoram has the highest percentage of urban population among the North Eastern states; however, the Village Councils continue to function even in all the district headquarters except the capital city of Aizawl. Thus, rural political institution functions even in urban areas up till now. There are altogether 790 Village Councils in the whole of Mizoram and Village Councils are used as important agencies by District Council, State Government and Central Government for implementation of certain development programmes, such as, construction of inter village jeepable road, construction of community halls in villages, Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), National Rural Employment Programme (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP), Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana (RSVY), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Border Area Development Programme (BADP), Border Region Grant Fund (BRGF) etc. Mizoram can be described as one amongst the states of Northeast which can provide basic necessities, such as, road, electricity, shelter and other basic requirements even to people of the remotest corner in the state. The development programmes, launched by the state government, namely, New Land Use Policy I (NLUP I), Mizoram Intodelh Project (MIP) and New Land Use Policy II (NLUP II) are also not as successful as expected. The NLUP II seemed to be successful than the earlier two programmes, however, the success rate of the NLUP II seemed to less than 40 percent as per the survey assessment of some research findings. Mizoram can be a unique tribal state where grassroots democracy reaches even the remotest corner through the Village Council. Therefore, Mizoram can be a model to other states of the region by its transparency and constructive development in Rural Development.

4. Careful Utilisation of the Look East Policy (L.E.P.) Projects in the area:

The essential philosophy of the Look East Policy is that India must find its destiny by linking itself more and more with its Asian partners and the rest of the world and that India’s future and economic interest are best served by greater integration with East and South East Asia. An agreement for co-operation in this field was signed by India and Myanmar in 1994. The immediate outcome of pursuing the Look East Policy by India was to counter-act Chinese monopoly over Burmese resources and to effectively block the Chinese plan of extracting natural resources and gas in Arakan. As a measure to block Chinese influence and the installation of Chinese military base in India’s border, the Look East Policy has been effectively pursued by the Government of India, as such; Kolodyne- Hydro Electric Power Project II (HEP II) and Kolodyne Multi-Model Transit Transport Project (KMMTP) Road are subsequently taken up in the Sixth Schedule Area of Mizoram. Kolodyne- HEP II is now being taken up by the National Thermal Power Corporation (N.T.P.C.) and is expected to generate 460 megawatts’ power from Chhimtuipui (Kolodyne) river on completion. On the other hand, Kolodyne Multi-Model Transit Transport Project is scheduled to connect Mizoram and Akyab in Myanmar by constructing double lane roads which will pass through Lawngtlai in Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) area. The distance of the road is estimated to be 117 kilometers within Mizoram from Lawngtlai to Myanmar border and it is about 222 kilometers from the border to Akyab. The estimated cost of the project is about Rs. 746 Crores and this highway is expected to be the gate way between India and South East Asian nations for commercial and business activities. Therefore, adequate steps should be taken up from now onwards so as to carefully utilize the Look East Policy project in the area. If the said two projects are properly completed, Mizoram can be used as gate way to ASEAN countries even by other states of the North Eastern Region

5. As a Model of Peace

The signing of the Mizoram Accord of 1986 automatically led to up gradation of Mizoram to a statehood status in 1987. Subsequently, the Government of Mizoram is now armed with more powers to legislate on subjects, listed in state list and to certain extend, on concurrent list in Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. Having been armed with more powers and status, the State Government is expected to accelerate the economic.

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