Mizoram CM Lalduhoma demands 'peace dividend' for state from Centre

AIZAWL: Mizoram CM Lalduhoma has appealed to the Centre to bail out the state which has been facing acute financial problems due to a plethora of reasons and asked for a provision of 'peace dividend', an official statement said on Sunday.
Addressing a pre-budget meeting of finance ministers of states and UTs chaired by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Saturday, Lalduhoma said Mizoram was a late starter in economic development due to long years of insurgency.
"Mizoram could manage to meaningfully join the rest of the country only from the fifth five-year plan and is lagging behind in economic development," he said, adding that it requires a huge amount of central assistance to be on a par with other states in the country.
Unlike other states, Mizoram hardly has any industry to enhance its source of income requiring special consideration and assistance, he said.
Though Mizoram has become a peaceful state, thousands of refugees from neighbouring countries and internally displaced people from the neighbouring state are taking shelter here which has caused a great financial burden, Lalduhoma said.
"While we have to protect and guard our state from insurgent organisations operating in the neighbouring countries and states, Mizoram has not been allocated funds under the security-related expenditure (SRE) like the neighbouring states," ha said, emphasising that "Mizoram requires a provision of 'peace dividend'".
Lalduhoma appealed to the Centre to provide additional funds in the Union budget 2024-2025 for Mizoram to tide over the financial crisis being faced by the state.
He said a special grant of Rs 546 crore awarded by the 15th finance commission has not been received in full.
He further said the state govt is yet to receive Rs 2,370.80 crore to be released from the share of taxes in 2019-20 and 2020-21 budgetary allocations which has resulted in inheritance of the committed liabilities during the period causing severe hardship for the state exchequer. "We appeal to the Centre to find a solution to this vexed financial quandary," he said.
The CM also asked for a special package for Mizoram for being the remotest state in the country where the prices of essential commodities are extremely high causing immense hardship to the poorer sections of the society, in particular, and the common people in general. He urged the Centre and the state govt to work together for inclusive development.