Mizoram Law Minister slams Aiyar

Aizawl, Oct 11(UNI) Mizoram Law Minister H Rammawi today came down heavily on DoNER Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar for his remarks on the state government during his recent visit here.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Rammawi rubbished Mr Aiyar's allegations that the Kaladan sea port project between Myanmar and India had slowed down due to the inefficiency of the state government.

''The project involves huge amount of money. Of the initial estimated cost of 104 million USD, India agreed to meet 90 per cent.

However, Myanmar had difficulty to meet even 10 per cent of the estimated cost. Later, India informed Myanmar of its willingness to meet 100 per cent of the cost. While a positive response was expected from Myanmar, the country faced internal turmoil.

Therefore, the project could not be as expedited as desired,'' the minister told newspersons.

''The DoNER Minister's remarks were uncalled for and could be regarded as contempt towards the people of Mizoram, and shameful for the Centre,'' he said.

Mr Rammawi also made it clear that the project was under the jurisdiction of the Centre and Mizoram could not do much about it.

The minister also termed as baseless Mr Aiyar's allegation that the state government was not efficient enough to submit priority lists to the DoNER Ministry as a result of which Mizoram could not benefit from the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources as much as it should have.

He claimed that during the current fiscal, the state government had submitted 23 projects, amounting to Rs 730.62 crore, to the DoNER Ministry but not a single project had been retained.

''The Mizoram government has performed its duties well in making the projects, it is the DoNER Ministry that is slow in sanctioning funds,'' Mr Rammawi said.

He added that during the last fiscal, 43 projects, costing a total of Rs 449.59 crores, had been submitted to the DoNER Ministry, of which, only 10 were retained and Rs 2.78 crores sanctioned for the said projects.

Mr Aiyar was here during September 19-21 to launch the election campaigns for the state Congress in which he strongly criticised the Mizo National Front government in Mizoram.

UNI