Aizawl, November 4 (MTNews): President Droupadi Murmu, who was in Mizoram for two days, said on Friday that despite the challenges posed by the hilly terrain, the state has done remarkably well on all parameters, particularly human development.
While speaking at a special assembly session, the president stated that policymakers and administrators have correctly emphasised the importance of improving education and healthcare as two pillars of good governance.
“The Central University of Mizoram has raised the bar for educational excellence in the region. The unique ‘Ayushman Bharat’ initiative also aims to provide inclusive healthcare coverage and the state has benefited immensely from it,” she said.
According to her, connectivity is bound to be the most important factor in realising the region’s potential, and because the development of village roads, highways, and bridges not only helps meet education and healthcare goals, but also unleashes economic opportunities, a special emphasis has been placed on it.
“New roads being built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana will bring people closer,” she said.
Congratulating the Mizoram Legislative Assembly on their Golden Jubilee in May of this year, the President stated that over the years, this house has evolved a model of debate, healthy debate, and mutual respect as an effective instrument in finding solutions to people’s problems.
The president also stated that Mizoram women are empowered in all aspects of life, including sports, culture, and business, and she is eager to see their increased representation in public life, particularly among lawmakers in the state.
Reminding the Assembly that the development of Mizoram and the rest of the North-East is critical to the nation’s progress, the President emphasized the importance of ties with neighbors, particularly those in South-East Asia.
“Our ‘Act East Policy’ places emphasis on the North-East for improving our ties with the extended neighborhood in the Asia-Pacific region. Once an economic initiative, the policy has gained strategic and cultural dimensions too. Mizoram benefits from, and also contributes to, the nation’s endeavor to engage with the neighbors in the region,” she stated.
Praising India’s efforts to promote renewable energy on a global scale, the President urged individual citizens, policymakers, lawmakers, and administrators to work together to help heal the planet.
“Mizoram has the highest forest cover among all Indian states, providing an ideal home for extraordinary and rich biodiversity. The Himalayas, its fragile ecology and its flora and fauna are our priceless heritage. We must conserve them for generations to come,” she concluded.