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| Mizoram chief minister Lalthanhawla with Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia during the meeting in New Delhi. (PTI) |
Silchar, March 25: The Centre has asked the Congress-led Mizoram government to explore various avenues for "steadily stepping up its income" in a bid to gradually become self-sufficient in resource mobilisation.
The deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, during a meeting in New Delhi on Monday with Mizoram chief minister Lalthanhawla has suggested a two-pronged strategy in which the state government will be able to mop up additional income.
These income generation devices, according to Ahluwalia, are involvement of the private sector in increasing numbers in the development of the state's infrastructure, including power, roads and transport system, and imposition of user charges on the consumption of energy and driving of vehicles.
Ahluwalia, according to a senior state government official, had also emphasised on the need to raise the taxes and augment non-tax revenues as the GDP and tax ratio in the state is "very much on the lower side".
Moreover, the Planning Commission deputy chairman also laid emphasis on the development of horticulture, fisheries and forestry as these have the potential of harnessing additional resources.
According to official sources, Lalthanhawla had disclosed that his government was ready for public-private partnership in the investment mode in agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, and small-scale industry and IT.
In fact, he had pointed out that some ventures by the private capital in north and western India had already made headway in his state.
The Planning Commission had stepped up the annual plan allocation for the 2010-11 fiscal year in the state by 20 per cent at Rs 1,500 crore.
In 2009-10, the allotment was pegged at Rs 1,250 crore.
Mizoram chief secretary Vanhela Pachuau and planning board secretary P.L. Thanga accompanied the chief minister during his dialogues in New Delhi.
Lalthanhawla said he was happy that his government's flagship scheme envisaging the improvement of the agriculture output and weaning away of the large sections of farmers from the wasteful slash and burning jhum cultivation had already got the Centre's nod of approval.
He added that to begin with New Delhi has allocated Rs 234 crore in this fiscal year for this scheme.
The state government, taking a cue from the Centre, has already increased the taxes on vehicles. It expects to mop up a revenue of Rs 10 crore in this fiscal as against Rs 5.52 crore it garnered by way of the vehicle tax during 2008-09.
-The Telegraph
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