Excelsior Correspondent
AIZAWL (MIZORAM), Apr 15: Speaking to media persons on his arrival here today on a two- day visit to the State, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the DoNER Ministry will take up with Union Ministry of Civil Aviation the proposal to start a direct air flight from Delhi to Aizwal in Mizoram, on the same pattern as a similar direct flight from Delhi to Dimapur, Nagaland has been introduced from today.
He also informed that BJP National President Amit Shah will be arriving at Aizwal tomorrow on his first-ever visit to the State after taking over as the Party President.
In addition, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Indian Railways has completed gauge conversion work for 210 km Lumding-Silchar rail track which would enable the movement of food-grains and other items on a broad-gauge to Mizoram, Lower Assam, Tripura and Manipur. The freight trains on this track have already started from the 21st of last month, he added.
Another major issue, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, was in relation to the handing over of the Lengpui airport in Mizoram to the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Certain clarifications regarding security of airport are sought to be cleared between the State Government and Airports Authority of India, he added. During the inter-ministerial meeting held by DoNER Ministry with the representatives of Civil Aviation Ministry on the 13th of this month, it was decided that the possibility of providing security by State Police may be explored and the cost of maintaining State Police will be borne by the Airports Authority of India.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also assured to take up the issue pertaining to Bru refugees from Mizoram settled in Tripura. Similarly, in order to get the optimum utility of medicinal plants growing in the State, the issue will be taken up with the Union Ministry of Science & Technology and Health, he added.
Expressing satisfaction over the latest statistical figures emerging from the State, Dr. Jitendra Singh declared that the literacy rate in Mizoram has risen to 91.58% which is second highest in the country, next only to Kerala. Not only this, there is a large majority of Mizoram people living in Delhi who are members of the teaching faculty in reputed colleges and universities of the Union Capital and similarly, most of the students of Mizoram origin living in Delhi are either engaged in research work or pursuing higher courses in the Universities of Delhi, which only points to the fact that the people from Mizoram are making a very voluminous and valuable contribution to the academic life of India’s capital.
He said, before leaving Delhi for Mizoram this morning, he had invited a group of students and youth of Mizoram origin living in Delhi to listen to their point of view and realized that even the Mizoram Students’ Union in Delhi had a strength of as many as 400-500 students which is quite an appreciable number for a small State which barely has a population of 10-11 lakh.
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