Aizawl: New Land Use Policy, the state government’s flagship project, has significantly reduced the traditional shifting cultivation or jhumming, said a survey conducted by Consultative Committee for NLUP (CCN) on Wednesday.
The CCN, comprising experts from the Mizoram University, found that families engaging in jhum cultivation has decreased from 66.44 per cent of the total families in Mizoram to 46.14 per cent, after the launching of the NLUP in 2011.
The area under jhum cultivation has also decreased by 22.52 per cent, according to the survey.
At the same time, number of families engaging in wet rice cultivation have also gone up to 27.20 per cent of the total families in Mizoram from 16.19 per cent.
While the number of labour engaged in jhum went down to 29.54 per cent from 47.69 per cent, that of wet rice cultivation has gone up to 31.14 per cent from 18.17 per cent.
The number of NLUP beneficiaries having bank accounts has also increased to 98.24 per cent from 46.81 per cent.
The survey was conducted among beneficiaries who opted for orange plantation in the eight districts of Mizoram. It covered 6,565 of the total 8,538 who are engaged in the trade. The survey also found that 68.35 per cent of orange trees have grown up and are expected to yield good harvest.
However, 25 per cent of the beneficiaries have lost 50 per cent of their orange trees to different factors, including diseases, the survey found. The survey made several suggestions for improvement of orange orchards. (UNI)
