Mizoram to Curb Corruption at All Levels : Governor

Aizawl, Jan 26 (IANS) Mizoram is fully committed to root out corruption in all its forms and at all levels, and this has been the main agenda to achieve good governance, Governor Aziz Qureshi said here Monday.

"The state government is devoted to eliminate corruption at all levels. The Lokayukta Bill, 2014, has been passed by the state assembly in line with the central Lokpal after holding a number of talks with many NGOs, intellectuals and various stakeholders," the governor said after hoisting the national flag at the Assam Rifles ground here.

He said : "To ensure equality of gender in Mizo society and marriages, the Divorce and Inheritance of Property Bill, 2014, has also been passed by the state assembly in November last year, in line with customs and traditions prevailing amongst the Mizos."

Qureshi said that KG-I and KG-II classes would be introduced in government primary schools from the next academic session (2015-2016) and 148 primary schools were selected, to start with, as a pilot project.

"The food department has undertaken the computerisation of the Targeted Public Distribution System operations in the state and currently 215,463 out of 241,272 ration cards (89.30 percent) have been digitised."

He said that with the view to promote Indo-Myanmar border trade, the land customs station at Zokhawthar in Champhai district (in eastern Mizoram) has been completed and is ready for formal inauguration.

The governor said that a 50-seat Mizoram medical college is also being set up at Falkawn, near Aizawl, and would start its classes from August this year.

"Mizoram has a vast potential for generating hydroelectricity. The power department is taking up construction of two hydel power projects of a total capacity of 9 MW and this is likely to be commissioned during 2015-17," he added.

Republic Day was celebrated across Mizoram, with numerous functions and programmes, including sports and cultural events.