The state government is striving hard to attain self-sufficiency in food as well as provide adequate safe drinking water and good health facilities to the people even those living in the remotest area of this state. He said that the beauty and strength of India lies in its unity in diversity. He appealed to the people to join hands in building a good future for Mizoram, the northeast and the country.

Shri R. Velu, Union Minister of State for Railways said that Indian Railway is one of the world’s largest rail networks and has been a key component of India’s transport sector for 154 years. During the last three years, Indian Railways has achieved a significant growth of 9.2 percent in freight traffic and 7 per cent in passenger traffic. In the North East, N.F. Railways constructed 579.37 km of track, 1171.16 km. of track was converted to broad gauge and 244.36 km of track doubling was achieved since 1979. Shri Velu also said that out of 8 new line projects under N.F. Railway, 5 projects have been declared as National Projects. The completion of these projects will add 685 km of new lines to the existing network. The anticipated cost involved in these projects is about Rs. 5695.85 crores. Till December 2007, Rs. 1493.69 crores was spent on these projects. Almost 95% of the work in one of the National Projects- the 109 km long Kumarghat to Agartala line has been completed and the line is expected to be opened by March this year.

In his welcome address, Dr. Lalthangliana, Minister of Information & Public Relations, Govt. of Mizoram said that Right to know and information is a basic fundamental right that an individual enjoys in a democratic polity. Media has served humanity like nothing else, for it is the eternal thirst of mankind for knowledge and information that gave birth to what we today call the Press today. Dr. Lalthangliana said that the northeast region lagged behind the rest of the country in development mainly because of the communication problems that have been depicted to the mass Indian society for the wrong reasons. Dr. Lalthangliana hoped that this conference will go a long way in dispelling myths and act as a force multiplier in ongoing efforts for peace and development.

Earlier, in her opening remarks, Smt. Deepak Sandhu, Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau talked about the purpose of Editors’ Conference.

Altogether 99 journalists attended the conference.