‘Massive’ efforts on to make Mizoram most literate & cleanest state: Guv

File Photo Mizoram Governor,  PS Sreedharan Pillai. (Photo: M Nikhil Kumar / CC BY-SA [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0] via Wikimedia Commons)

 

Newmai News Network
Aizawl | February 17

 

Mizoram Governor,  PS Sreedharan Pillai on Monday said the state government of Mizoram is making massive efforts to achieve the "topmost" literacy rate state and also to be the cleanest state in the country.

 

 

“The government is currently launching ‘Total Literacy Drive’ targeting areas with low literacy rates in Lunglei, Mamit, Lawngtlai and Aizawl districts as well as the ‘Special Eradication of Illiteracy Project’ under the flagship programme Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP) to achieve the topmost literacy rate in the country,” Pillai said while delivering his maiden speech on the first day of the budget session.

 

 

With a literacy rate of 91.3 per cent, Mizoram ranked third in the country after Kerala and Lakshadweep, which bagged first and second respectively according to the 2011 census. Serchhip and Aizawl districts are the two most literate districts in the country.

 

 

Pillai said that the government is also making efforts to make Mizoram the “cleanest state in India”.

 

 

He also said that Aizawl was selected as one of the ‘Smart Cities’ under the nationwide Smart Cities Mission.

 

 

According to him, at least 23 notified urban towns have so far been covered under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) by focusing on cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation.

 

 

He also said that the government is also making efforts to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor by providing them access to gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities. "The state government had also set up state level and district level coordination committees for doubling farmers income by 2020 to alleviate the problem faced by farmers", he added.

 

 

 Citing that the state government is giving top priority to providing excellent primary health care to the people, the Governor said that an improved Mizoram state health care scheme has been launched.

 

 

The health care scheme, which seeks to provide health insurance of Rs 2 lakh cover in a year to beneficiaries, especially economically backward classes, was launched on October 1 last year.

 

 

‘AIDS serious problem, should be tackled on war-footing’

 

Meanwhile, Pillai expressed concern about the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS in the state and called for concerted efforts to check the spread.

 

 

“AIDS has become a serious problem, which needed to be tackled on a war-footing. We need more aggressive and collective efforts from the government, the churches, NGOs and all voluntary organizations to the check the rapid spread of the deadly disease,” he stated.

 

 

Highlighting about the economic achievement made by the government, the Governor said that Mizoram has been witnessing remarkable economic growth in recent years and is moving towards a self-reliant state.

 

 

‘State’s economic growth one of the best in India’

According to him, the state’s economic growth of 2019 was 14.82 per cent, which was one of the best among the states in the country. 

 

 

He also said that the government had implemented its flagship programme- Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP) to ensure growth in various sectors.

 

 

At least 14 boards have been created for successful implementation of SEDP, which aims at accelerating progress in key sectors and transforming Mizoram into a welfare state.

 

 

Pillai also said that the government is also taking up several projects to generate more electricity through solar power and Hydro-electric power.

 

 

Highlighting the development of tourism, the Governor said that Mizoram is a hot-spot for tourism, and establishing an excellent service industry, which will generate wide employment.

 

 

“The total recorded tourist arrival during 2019 was 1,42,353, which is 63 per cent higher than the previous year,” he said, adding that the state has huge potential for eco-tourism and rural tourism.

 

 

The budget session of the state assembly began on Monday with the gubernatorial address.

 

 

Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who also holds finance portfolio, will present the state budget on Wednesday.