Chakmas, Maras and Lais are deprived of development funds: DoNER Minister
DoNER Minister Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar had said he was grieved to see the backwardness of the three autonomous district councils of Mara, Lai and Chakma in the southern part of the state and added that he was disturbed to learn that the minority population (Chakmas, Mara and Lais) in the southern part had been deprived of development funds.
The minister told mediapersons in Aizawl on February 13, 2008. UNI reported below:
Mr Aiyar said he was grieved to see the backwardness of the three autonomous district councils of Mara, Lai and Chakma in the southern part of the state and the fact that the entire rural Mizoram was still reeling under Mautam (bamboo flowering famine) and acute food shortage.
”Once we get the Sittewe (proposed sea port at Kaladan) going, southern Mizoram will get sufficient rice, coming from Myanmar and Bangladesh,” the minister assured.
Mr Aiyar also said he was disturbed to learn that the minority population (Chakmas, Mara and Lais) in the southern part had been deprived of development funds.
”It appears that only a very small proportion of funds have reached these people who constitute 15 per cent of the state’s population. I can now understand why the minorities are demanding Union Territory status. Mizoram should remain one, but it can remain united only when all the sections of the people feel that they are equally treated,” he affirmed.
He also advocated that double-cropping in the southern part would make the region self-sufficient.
Source: webindia123.com
So, this is how the DoNER minister saw the southern part of Mizoram state. According to the report that appears in Zawlbuk.net, he toured the project area by a helicopter and also paid a visit to certain villages in the area.
Posted: May 10th, 2008 under News & Views.
Comments: 3
Tags: Chakma, DoNER minister, kaladan project, Lai, Mara, Sittewe, southern mizoram
Comments
Comment from paritosh_chakma
Time: August 14, 2009, 3:50 pm
I appreciate the audacity of Mr Aiyar to speak the truth which he had seen. Indeed, denial of development is one of the main reasons for which the three largest and politically most powerful minorities of Mizoram are demanding UT status to be curved out of the three ADCs. But I wonder whether the statement was merely a political gimick to win the minorities’ votes ahead of the elections (at that time) by holding the then MNF govt responsible for denial of development funds, ahead of the elections (at that time). The Congress done the same thing to the minorities but does Mr Aiyar being a sernormost congress leader have the courage to say the same thing given that Congress is the present ruler of Mizoram?
Comment from Steven
Time: August 14, 2009, 4:07 pm
Quote “The minister told mediapersons in Aizawl on February 13, 2008. ”
Hi Paritosh, as you can see he told media persons on Feb. 2008. It was before the new govt was formed by Congress in Mizoram. He said those during MNF government.
Today, we can’t compare people from South Mizoram to the rest of the state. They are too poor. For example, in our village (MADC area), there is no telephone line even in 2009. Don’t laugh at me.. what can I do? hehe
Look at the following blog post by a Civil Servant from North Mizoram who was posted at Tuipang V some years ago.
http://burgerstud2005.blogspot.com/2009/05/nlup-hmanga-chhanchhuah-chi-ni-em.html
The title of the post is: Can they be rescued using NLUP?
Congress gov’t has promised them that through NLUP the poor in the state will be given Rs.1 lakh each for alleviating their lives. But it may not be enough for those in the post. Those poor people in the post are from MADC area.
Comment from Rajib Chakma
Time: January 21, 2010, 4:21 pm
I dont agree with Mr. Stevwn, I returned from Chawngte C just last week. Honestly as a chakma I am very disapointed to see CADC in a condition like that. No roads no proper water supply, no proper electricity. One question I want to ask. Is it really the mizos who are blocking development in CADC or is the People of CADC who are blocking their own development??? I dont know the answer but what I saw in CADC was MONEY and I understood that People in CADC doesnot need a good leader, they dont need development, they just need money.
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