Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Saturday expressed hopes to increase the per capita income of the state with an aim to make it the highest in the country. His government is also focusing on agriculture and forest based economy to resolve the issue of unemployment in the state, he said.
Speaking exclusively to News18 over telephone, Zoramthanga said, “In coming ten years, by mobilizing all economic resources (which we have in our state), I think we can make Mizoram the state with the highest per capita income in India.”
When asked how he is planning to deal with the unemployment issue, Zoramthanga said, “We are not thinking on the lines of industries but yes we are focusing on agriculture and forest based economy. These are the areas which will help us in resolving the unemployment issues.”
Mizoram has a land area of nearly 22,000 square km and most of the area is fertile. The present government feels that a huge number of fertile land is enough to feed the people of Mizoram and make them economically self-sufficient.
Zoramthanga’s focus areas are agriculture, bamboo cultivation, food processing, handloom, handicrafts, horticulture, and organic farming.
The chief minister, who celebrated his birthday on July 13, on being asked what his return gift to the people of Mizoram will be, replied, “I would like to make each and every person to become economically self-sufficient in Mizoram.”