Aizawl: Mizoram governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati on Friday said that the state government has a zero tolerance towards all kinds of smuggling.
“Stringent measures are being taken to stop the illegal smuggling of areca-nuts by law enforcing agencies and government. Licences of fertiliser dealers are being reviewed and those found misusing them have been cancelled, ” the governor said as he unfurled the tri-colour at Lammual in Aizawl on the occasion of Republic Day on Friday.
He said that the state Excise and Narcotics department is striving relentlessly to combat the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse.
In order to check malpractices at various Police Checkgates, all police personnel on duty have been strictly instructed to refrain from any such misconduct and any violation will be viewed seriously, he said.
Citing that good governance reduces corruption, enhances self-respect of the citizens and enables them to optimally utilize their talents and capabilities, Kambhampati said that the state government is determined to rid the state of the scourge of corruption and has a zero tolerance towards it.
“The fight against corruption will be made comprehensive and effective. The mission to eliminate corruption from public life and government services will be implemented with greater zeal, ” he said.
The governor said the government is committed to the goal of providing a transparent and efficient administration. Due propriety, promptitude and effectiveness should characterize every measure – administrative, legislative and political, he said.
He said that the government will have several broad areas of thrust in the next five years encompassing six basic needs that will be prioritised.
The governor said that the state government is committed to stabilise and improve the financial condition of the state.
“It will be our endeavour to set things right through fiscal consolidation, proper fiscal management, austerity measures, pruning non-development expenditure and resource management and mobilization, ” he said.
Efforts will be made to sustain and increase the growth rate in different sectors, he said.
Kambhampati said that the state government will accord utmost importance to agriculture and allied sectors since more than half of our population depend on these sectors for their livelihoods.
“It will be our endeavour to make agriculture both production-centric and income-centric. A separate allocation of fund targeting farmers engaged in agriculture and allied sectors will be provided in the budget,” he said.
Remunerative prices for 4 (four) important commercial crops – ginger, turmeric, chillies and broomsticks will be fixed and procurement will commence from this financial year itself for which an amount of Rs. 110 crore has been already earmarked, he said.
A Memorandum of Understanding for the procurement of 500 metric tonnes of ginger and 100 metric tonnes of chillies from farmers in the state has already been signed with a private agency, the governor also said.