Still miles to go for self-sufficiency

Aizawl, Mar 10: Despite Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga's recorded remarks of making Mizoram a self-sufficient state within three years when he came to power in 1998, a few more years are still needed to see the success of the Mizoram Intodelh (self-sufficiency) Project.

''About four crore has been spent in the project. Most of the selected plants in the project are long-term plants. We need some more years to see the success. We have only made a start'', Agriculture minister H Rammawi told the assembly today.

Other house members, who raised supplementary questions, criticised the government's habbits of introducing non-indigenous plants in Agricultural projects.

The Agriculture minister replied that the projects such as jatropha, red-oil palm, hawaiian solo (papaya) have been experimented on and proven that they are ideal for large-scale cultivation in Mizoram. These projects have been undertaken in a buy-back policies with several outside companies.

Regarding jatropha, the oil bearing plant in particular, Rammawi stressed that the plant would boost the state's economy with the increasing demand of bio diesel.

UNI