Mizoram Earmarks Rs 46,610 Lakh For Flagship NLUP

Aizawl, Sep 11 : The Mizoram government has earmarked Rs 46610.90 lakh to implement the ambitious New Land Use Policy (NLUP) for the financial year 2010-2011.

Of this, Rs 23128.70 lakh would be funded under CSS and the remaining Rs 23482.20 lakh under ACA, according to official sources here today.

The sectoral allocation of the NLUP fund was also cleared yesterday.

Rs 1562.40 lakh has been allocated for project management, including capacity building, under Additional Central Assistance (ADA).

Under agriculture sector, Rs 12,340 lakh under CSS and Rs 7,552 lakh under ACA have been allocated for 12,340 beneficiaries.

There are 1,152 beneficiaries in horticulture to which Rs 737.25 lakh under CSS and Rs 5222.75 lakh under ACA have been allocated.

The New Land Use Policy (NLUP) basically aims to help farmers move away from the traditional slash-and-burn method of cultivation and adopt more sustainable land-based means of livelihood.

About 80 per cent of farmers in Mizoram still depend on jhum cultivation that involves clearing of forests and burning trees, weeds and bamboos.