Aizawl: The Mizoram government on Wednesday claimed that some farmers have already reaped the fruits of its flagship Rs 7873-crore project New Land Use Policy.
A NLUP apex board meeting chaired by the chief minister at the secretariat conference here was informed that NLUP beneficiaries, under horticulture sector at Sekhum village, cultivated high quality oranges that bear fruits in three years.
“ The oranges have borne fruits. Likewise, beneficiaries opting for broomstick, fishery and animal husbandry trades have started to achieve success,” the meeting was informed.
During Wednesday’s meeting, officials of eight line departments gave achievement and performance reports while monitoring committee chairmen expressed their views on the implementation in their respective areas and gave suggestions and proposals for further improvement.
The apex board agreed to sanction additional fund to the animal husbandry & veterinary department to import improved breed of cows from Haryana for beneficiaries under veterinary sector. It also nodded to the sericulture department’s proposal for revolving fund for purchasing the beneficiaries’ products.
Speaking at the meeting, board chairman Lal Thanhawla urged the line department officials to give priority to implementation of the NLUP as it is the government’s flagship programme to improve the livelihood of the people.
He also stressed the need to advocate broom grass cultivation as broomsticks are highly demanded and there is no market problem. He felt that more beneficiaries should opt for broom grass cultivation.
A total of 120,000 families will be covered under the new land policy over a period of five years by providing them financial assistance of Rs 100,000.
The departments of agriculture, horticulture, veterinary, industries, forest, fisheries, sericulture and soil & water conservation are involved in the scheme.
The Mizoram farmers have for generations been carrying out the traditional slash-and-burn method of cultivation, locally called ‘jhum,’ which has resulted in degradation of forest land and deterioration of the soil condition.
About 80 per cent of farmers in Mizoram still depend on jhum cultivation that involves clearing forests and burning trees, weeds and bamboos.
The policy aims to move the farmers away from this shifting (jhum) cultivation. (UNI)