SPEECH OF PU KUNAL, IAS , DC SAIHA

ON THE OCCASION OF REPUBLIC DAY 2010 AT SAIHA DISTRICT

Thian te u, Chibai u,

Today, we are celebrating 61st Republic Day of Nation. I extend my good

wishes to my people from all walks of life, living in the district and other places. I
convey my special greetings to the members of our Armed Forces, Paramilitary
Forces who guard our frontiers on land, sea and air and our police forces who are
ensuring public safety and law and order. I also recall the famous inscription of
Kohima War Memorial, which says: - “When you go home tell them of us and say for
your tomorrow, we gave our today.” I on behalf of whole district pay homage to our
heroes who offered supreme sacrifice in defending and our motherland.

For six decades we have been a democratic republic and have been guided by
the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. The 60th milestone is marked
with the many successes that we have achieved in different fields, and a host of issues
that need our attention. We can look at our achievements with justifiable pride and
focus on our shortcomings with a spirit of resolve. The destiny of our nation will
depend on how we accept the challenges and respond to it.

We have witnessed, in the last one year, major events in the financial and
security scenario both at the global and the national level - terrorism and violence,
natural disasters, volatility in oil and food prices, and a global economic slowdown.
These tested our systems for dealing with emergent situations, throwing up challenges
of addressing inadequacies and highlighting the need to reinforce monitoring and
response mechanisms.

Our country continued to make major strides in all sectors. The country
handled the pandemic of H1N1 virus influenza quite well and in comparison with
other countries our performance was much better. Despite of global slowdown, the
Indian growth story continued. Growth in telephone penetration, mobile & data usage,
internet users, and road length was phenomenal and the growth rate stayed around 7
% whereas other economies struggled to keep a positive growth rate. The
development in the field of space sciences and defense research continued unabated
be it launching of chandrayan or further development of brahmos.

In the terrorist attacks in our cities and in different States many innocent lives
were lost. The concerted and well planned attacks in Mumbai stand out as an example
of a ruthless operation undertaken to damage the confidence of India. The nation was
outraged. However, contrary to what the terrorists had hoped, the event saw the
emergence of a unified and strong voice from all over India. Unity among diversity is
our greatest strength. It is that unique amalgam which transforms the over one billion
individuals of the country into an over one billion strong resolve of one nation. It is
this unity which has seen us through difficult times and is what we must preserve as
we seek to fulfill our national ambitions and goals.

Our state Mizoram continued its developmental march with all round
achievements in different sector and had the best growth rate in entire North-Eastern
region of India. Our performances in different centrally sponsored schemes were

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praised at national level. Our Government also launched a new scheme as every one
of us knows by “NLUP” to wean away farmers from ecologically unsustainable
practices of Jhumming.

Our Saiha District has also kept pace with the national priorities of inclusive
and all-round growth. In agriculture sector, our district is fully concentrated in the
watershed development under National Watershed Development Project for Rain fed
Areas (NWDPRA) with 18 Projects currently in progress and is aiming to achieve and
cover at least 12996 hectare by developing WRC, water harvesting structures and hill
terraces. This Project covers 15 villages as far from as Khaikhy village to Lomasu
village. Rural development can be a very effective vehicle for spreading the benefits
of balanced growth. The current price hike in the price of food grains, and the
resultant fears of shortages and hunger, carries the message that this important sector
cannot be ignored and the modern technology should be used to have an evergreen
and sustainable growth. Improvement of agriculture through better and scientific
agricultural techniques would contribute to the food security of the district apart from
PDS. We have a rich heritage of agricultural practices like land use, cropping patterns
and use of manure. We can also appropriately use this reservoir of traditional
knowledge in our agriculture sector. Thus our agriculture sector can act as a catalyst
for stronger and sustainable growth.

In the Rural Development sector, we have provided 64 days of wage

employment to 12152 rural households amounting to Rs.972 lakhs and spent Rs.78
lakhs for material component including slab culverts, retaining walls, and water
harvesting tanks during the current financial year. Under the BRGF, amount of Rs.857
lakhs have been utilized for community assets like community halls, retaining walls
etc. The release of Rs.912 lakhs for current financial is expected to be made soon to
our district.

Under IAY, we had already achieved our targets by constructing 38 houses

against New Construction and 28 houses against up gradation. We have been helping
the Self Help Groups under SGSY by releasing a sum of Rs.16 lakhs to them during
the financial year of 2009- 2010. Projects under IWDP have also been in good
progress and Government has released Rs.131 lakhs each to Project III & Project IV.

Under the PHE sector, provision of safe drinking water supply to various far
flung villages has been undertaken. Under Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), rural
families were provided a toilet free of cost. The total achievement in Mizoram in this
scheme is 97%.

In the field of health services, Government of India is giving a much attention

towards the primary health care without which a nation cannot move forward. The
OPD Building at Saiha Civil Hospital was constructed this current year under NRHM.
17 Health Sub Centers were also constructed at various villages within our district.
The PHC Building at Chakhang is under construction under NRHM. CMO
Residential Quarters and Doctors Quarters were also constructed. In order to improve
primary health facilities in rural areas, many staff nurses, doctors and other
paramedical staff were also recruited under NRHM.

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 The Mizoram PWD had completed the construction of road under PMGSY
totaling 181.73 km, and the 69.88 km had already been handed over to BRTF for
maintenance in Saiha District. This is a good progress that Govt of India try to
connect a village with 500 populations by 2020. This achievement boosts the
communication facility in our district. Siachangkawn to Vawmbuk 14 km,
Niawhtlang to Chakhang 23 km, Kawlchaw to Serkawr 11.88 km were completed
during the financial year of 2009-2010. Saiha to Romibawk 22.30 km, Rawmibawk to
Phalhrang 12.44 km, Theiri to Tuisih 7.40 km, Chhuarlung to Ainak 10.925 km,
Maisa to Lawngban 8 km and Phura to Vahai 17 km have also been in good progress
and will be completed within a year or two under PMGSY.

Under NLCPR fund, Lungtian to Mamte road upto Vartekkai 16 km has also
been completed within stipulated time. Pavement work is being completed in the near
future. The Saiha PWD also tries its best to complete the fresh blacktopping of road
within Saiha Town before the monsoon arrives.

In terms of power and electricity in our district, 33 villages have been

electrified and the remaining villages are to be electrified very shortly. Under
RGGVY Scheme, 13 villages have been selected for electrification. This will be done
very shortly and work award has been given. Government of Mizoram is also
providing a helpful hand by setting up of 33KV Sub Station at Saiha and Tuipang,
1x2.5MVA Transformer and 1x1MVA Transformer have also been installed in our
district. Free connections have been provided to 2833 families under KJP Schemes.

Under SSA, Primary and Middle School teachers have been given
appointment under SSA, where basic primary education facility is minimal. Many
school buildings were constructed under SSA in villages and in Saiha Town. Sports
Academy at Saiha and Tuipang is being constructed and will be completed in a very
short period, Girls Hostel for under-privileged school children are also being
constructed at Saiha and Tuipang. Karate Academy for school children is also being
completed in Tuipang. School children are provided free text books and school
uniforms; mid day meal is also carried in every primary and middle school with an
aim to attain total literacy in the country.

Our district is focusing the successful implementation of NLUP by using

cooperative approach. Every citizen of our district has a duty and responsibility to
implement the NLUP successfully. The Government is assisting every beneficiary to
the tune of Rs 1 lakh, so that an economy revolution can take place in every corner of
our beloved state. A balanced and scientific selection of permissible trades by
beneficiaries under NLUP will soon be undertaken under scientific guidance from all
the technical departments of our District for which the training programme will be
organized shortly in every corner of the district. We are planning to use remote
sensing satellite based the natural resource atlas of our district for scientific selection
of trades by carrying out SWOT analysis of all the villages.

Many states in India have greatly benefited from their forests. Similarly, we
must look at better management of our forests, which have a wide diversity of flora
and fauna including medicinal plants. They can be important in generating social,
economic and environmental benefits for the state. It is our duty to preserve the

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forests from fire, so that the watershed should not be affected and the beautiful hills
can provide us sufficient water for our daily needs and agricultural purposes.

On the social welfare agenda, I would like to highlight two groups that
constitute a major part of our population -youth and women. Saiha District is an old
district but a young population from a demographic point of view. The youth
represent the hope for the future and are an invaluable asset to the nation. Their hopes
and aspirations for growth and prosperity are indeed the aspirations of the state itself.
Productive employment generation prospects can be created through skill
development and vocational training. I call on our youth to take advantage of
opportunities that are available to them. In addition to self- development, they must
pledge to abjure violence and unhealthy practices and should work for the larger
welfare of humanity. I would like to mention that the laurels that the youth have
brought to the district in the field of sports in the recent past many players from our
district have been selected in various clubs in the National Football League. This,
along with the commendable performances at various sporting events in India and
state level, is significant. It is perhaps a signal of the beginning of a more fulfilling era
in national sports. A focus on improving sports facilities and encouragement to our
sportspersons is essential.

While focusing on sports, the focus on education should not be lost. This is
necessary to overcome the challenges ahead of us. The unemployment problem is
creating a social enmity in the district. I hope our youth will prepare for various
competitive exams of UPSC, MPSC, and Banking Services etc and will come out with
flying colors. Youth of my district should face the challenge and should not allow the
challenges to overtake them. I exhort the youth to take up innovative work in the field
of self employment, entrepreneurship for the development of their own and the
society as a whole. The need of the hour is to upgrade the skill and contribute in
nation building.

The women of Saiha district have been an important instrument of social

change. The Mara Chano Py (MCHP) and MHIP are consciously working for the
protection of girl child and women. I am conscious about the constraints and
difficulties that they face in realizing their full potential. Their empowerment is
necessary and that can only come through education and economic development. A
woman has a right to live with dignity and a right to be an equal citizen of the country.
The participation of women in different government plan is essential for optimal use
of scarce resources. Recognizing the potential roles of the women the district
administration consciously took the decision to include the participation of women
NGO in NLUP implementation committee at the village level and a quality shift in
implementation is expected from them. Self Help Groups have proved to be effective
vehicles for the economic transformation of women. It shall be our endeavor to bring
every eligible woman under the cover of a Self Help Group for her economic
empowerment.

Now I would like to focus on our planning for the coming year. The District
Administration is trying to introduce integrated planning system for a coordinated and
convergent development of our district. Already in the DC office a district planning
cell has been formed headed by the Addl DC to ensure that convergence between
works and schemes of different line departments of the State Government and MADC

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and pioneer schemes of the Central Government can be achieved for a better outcome.
On a pilot basis the convergence is being initiated between BRGF, NREGS, IWMP,
ATMA in Neotlang village. The possible use of convergence between NREGS and
BRGF is being conceptualized in providing the roads between unconnected
habitations.

In our annual action plan of BRGF for 2010 which is at the final stage of
preparation, with active cooperation from all the members of District Planning and
Implementation Committee, we are trying to provide road connectivity between those
habitations which are not being touched by PMGSY. We are making provision for
creation of model village by providing facilities for sanitation, drinking water etc for
people living in the remote corners of our district by shifting them to a more favorable
location. Our district has a rich cultural heritage, to promote it; a substantial sum is
being allocated for establishing Saiha District Cultural Centre. To promote healthy
and safe living, provision is being made for acquiring small and efficient tippers for
garbage disposal, establishing solid waste management, strengthening drainage
system and retaining walls at landslide prone areas. Two special projects are being
undertaken to strengthen the mango growers and turmeric growers by providing them
cost efficient modern inputs for value addition which is expected to increase their
income level substantially. On the basis of result of these special projects, crop
specific activities will be taken up soon for other crops. Further, we are finalizing the
design of a modern Village Council house which will have space for meeting,
engineers, computer usage, and rural library apart from VC office, which is expected
to serve as a catalyst of knowledge revolution in villages and promote healthy
democratic participation of all villagers. In this year we are planning to build around
30 VC Houses. Under the BRGF Capability Building Scheme, we are requesting
SIRD to provide internet facilities to all VC Houses and we are thinking of initiating
e-PRI project in every village council. The SIRD has further been requested to
establish 4 Block Resource Centre equipped with Video Conferencing facilities with
connectivity from DC and MADC Offices. We desire to modernize our district
planning by introducing Geographical Information System in this process, for this
purpose the SIRD has been requested to include it in their plan.

Apart from these, we are trying to innovatively use internet as a medium of

dialogue between the Government and Citizens by timely uploading the necessary
information on the district website. The new and improved website will be launched
very soon. We are also planning to launch a helpline to address the grievances/
requirements of the common men sitting in villages. The need of the hour is inclusion
of technology in our daily lives for more effective utilization of our resources. We are
also planning of introducing SMS based price information system of agricultural
commodities to empower our farmers in making the decision. The success of all these
schemes and plans require a healthy participation from all section of society, which is
earnestly requested from all the citizens of our district.

I believe each one of us is a proud Indian, willing to work for the nation but
the question is how do we bring about unison in our efforts? It cannot be through the
following of a narrow agenda. We cannot give in to regional, sectarian or linguistic
considerations. These concepts militate against the very principles we chose to follow
when we began our journey as a free nation. All Indians, undoubtedly, have many
identities but with an underlying common identity of being Indian. We may hail from

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one region but belong to a different caste or religion or speak a different language, but
that cannot dilute our identity. That identity in essence means a civilization ethos of a
shared experience of living together in harmony through generations, in a milieu of
great diversity but in a spirit of tolerance and forbearance, that flows from our basic
belief of unity. The incidents of violence by one community against another can have
no place in a pluralistic society. I appeal to my people to vow that they would fight
the divisive forces and work for an India in which our first identity is Indian and, only
thereafter, our other descriptions will follow.

I conclude with an appeal to all citizens to bring forth their very best to serve
the nation. India has the privilege of being a great civilization; today, it is the world's
largest democracy and its people have the commitment to fulfill the promise of it
being a great nation. Let each one of us take a pledge to bring glory to India and take
our country to its destination of becoming a great nation that stands for human values.

Ka lawm e

JAI HIND.

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