Ample Potential Area

Out of the cultivable area, potential area for horticultural activities is found to be 6.31 lakh hectares, which consist of gentle to moderate slope. Out of this potential area, the area under horticulture crops during 1998 to 1999 as recorded is about 46,000 hectares which is only 7.29 per cent of the potential area for horticulture. Therefore, the scope and potential for expanding the activities of horticulture is enormous.

Many of the horticultural crops of the state have tremendous potential for marketing outside the state. Fruit crops like Mandarin orange, passion fruit, pineapple, hatkora, banana and papaya. Vegetables crops like tomato, brinjal, bean, pea and iskut (Chow Chow). Spices like bird's eye chillies, garlic, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom and betelvine. Root and tuber crops like potato, sweet potato and colocasia. Plantation crops like tung, coffee, coconut and arecanut.

Fisheries

Self-Sufficiency and Revenue Generation

The existing total water area for fish farming in the state is estimated to be 1,700 hectares. And at present 4,700 families of small and marginal fish farmers are engaged in this trade. This makes fishing one of the largest sources of revenue generation. The existing lakes have tremendous potential for pisciculture and the endeavour of the government is not only self-sufficiency in fish production but to transform it to a sector of rural economy that earns a sizeable revenue with markets beyond the state boundaries.

Mizoram has about 2,000 hectares of water area under fish culture. The state does not have much fallow water bodies which could be reclaimed for pisciculture. They also hope to create avenues for immense employment for the rural population with this.

Aqua Culture

The Fisheries Department continues its programme to promote fresh water aqua-culture in the state. Under the Fish Farmers' Development Agency, 523 hectares of additional water area was covered for fish culture for augmenting fish production. Under this, 1,962 fish farmers have been assisted and 2,430 imparted training in fish culture technology by March 2004.

Fish Seed Production

The Fisheries Department constructed four fish seed farms at Tamdil, Thenzawl, Ngengpui and Saikhawthlir. Under the North Eastern Council Scheme for enhancing fish production in the state, 268 lakh seeds and 88 metric tonnes of fish feed were distributed to fish farmers.

This will help the state achieve self-sufficiency in fish seed production with the Rs 128 lakh allocated. Fish seeds are distributed to private pisciculturists in the state at 50 per cent subsidy to increase production.

Additional Water Area

The state planned an additional water area of 300 hectares in the state under fish culture through Fish Farmers' Development Agency in 2004-05. With additional areas for fish cultivation and by imparting training to more and more fish farmers, the state hopes to move towards self-sufficiency in the production of fish.

Private Fisheries

An age old method of fishing followed in Mizoram is to put a
barrier in the flow of a river or stream by putting stones, felled trees, bamboos etc and catch fish through cages put in the openings. Now many private fisheries are coming up in the potential areas of flowing water which can be impounded. There is good prospect of fisheries development in the Demagiri area.

Forestry Vast Areas

Mizoram has a vast area of forest, covering as much as 18,338 sq km, which forms about 87 per cent of the total geographical area of the state. About 20 per cent of the geographical area is under dense forest while 68 per cent is open forest. The reserved/protected forests constitute about 38 per cent of the geographical area. More than 400 medicinal plants and 22 species of bamboo are said to exist in the state. The total forest produce during 1999-2000 was valued at Rs. 125.85 lakh. At the same time, the state has also notified forest areas for the preservation and management of wildlife.

Bamboo

Bamboo is one of the primary forest produce the state hopes to utilise economically. With the Bamboo's 50-year cycle of flowering, Mizoram expects that the year 2007 will cause untold damage. So the government intends to harvest all available bamboo within the state for meaningful utilisation.

Tourism

Hot Spots

With its abundant scenic beauty and a soothing climate, Mizoram has a scope of developing tourist related industries. The state is working towards tourist specific projects so that Mizoram can be developed as a tourist spot on the map of India . The state is, therefore, looking at possible avenues like creation of facilities for cultural, adventure and wildlife and eco tourism. They also plan to come up with scenic spots, amusement parks, health farms and other entertainment units.

Lodges

Tourism is being promoted in the state with focus on tourist infrastructure like construction of tourist homes and cottages at Lunglei, Thenzawl, Berawtlang, Thingdawl, Kolasib, Rungdil and Bairabi. Thalfavang Kut and Chapchar Kut were also successfully celebrated at Aizawl. With more tourist lodges and cottages and Mizo houses sprouting in the state, they can hope to welcome more and more tourists in the state.

Potential Plans

The state has investment prospects in areas like developing a central bus and taxi terminal in Aizawl. Exploring Kolodyne river for navigation or the Lawngtlai-Saiha ropeway possibility. Also possibilities are movie theatres in Aizawl, Lunglei, Saiha and Champhai and fast food/multi-cuisine restaurants in major towns. Work is also on to build roads linking major centres of tourism in the state.

Tasking for Travel

The Tourism Department of the state has in the past participated in tourism festivals individually and as part of the North-Eastern Indian trail. These include the ITB Berlin in 2002, the World Travel Mart in London , Travel and Trade Fair at Bangalore and Chennai, ITM Fair and ITF at New Delhi .

Infrastructure

Because of the difficult terrain and climatic conditions, transport in Mizoram is essentially road based. Although there is a small metre-gauge rail link at Bairabi and a recently commissioned airport at Lengpui. Mizoram's towns and villages have been connected by all-weather roads.

Realising the need for proper infrastructure for development in the state, the department has purchased some new buses. The use of smart cards has also been introduced to improve the standard of issue of driving licenses at the District Transport Office in Aizawl.

Public Works Department

The Public Works Department in the state has been doing work on the roads of rehabilitation and maintenance. Nine road schemes have also been approved by DoNER to be funded under non-lapsable central pool of resources. The past years have seen the maintenance of the assets of the state.

Power and Electricity

The state has seen an improvement of sub-station and distribution network within Aizawl and Lunglei town. The 22.92 MW Heavy Furnace Oil generating plant at Bairabi has also been completed that is expected to provide base-load power to the state and it will also be used for supplying power for construction of the proposed Bairabi Dam project.

Skilled Youth

Since Mizoram has the third highest literacy rate in the country, it can easily hope to become one of the largest contributors of IT professionals in the country. Young people have already started moving to other states to work at call centres and other non-specialty jobs. To create employment opportunities in the state, 60 educated unemployed youth were sent to the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore to attend a two-week food processing training and four persons were sent to Jorhat to undergo a five-month Tea Technology course at TRA.

Health