The Centre has waived an amount of Rs 5.23 crore as depreciated cost that the Mizoram government was required to pay for buildings and infrastructure vacated by the Assam Rifles in Aizawl, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said.
Lalduhoma said he had written to the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nitiyanand Rai in May last year, urging him to waive the sum.
Depreciated cost refers to the reduced value of buildings and infrastructure after accounting for wear and tear over time.
“In reply to my communication, the Union minister sent me a letter informing me that the Mizoram government need not pay the depreciated cost. It is a matter of happiness that our request has been accepted,” the CM said in a Facebook post late on Monday.
As per the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the Mizoram government and the Assam Rifles to relocate its bases from Aizawl, the former had to pay Rs 5.23 crore as depreciated cost for buildings and other infrastructure vacated by the paramilitary force, he said.
In March last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had attended a function in Aizawl, marking the relocation of Assam Rifles bases to a designated camp at Zokhawsang, about 15 km east of the state capital.
The phase-wise relocation began in April, 2025, officials said.
The demand for the relocation came in the wake of the difficult topography and congestion in Aizawl, they said.
The Assam Rifles has its bases in Zodin Square (Lammual) and Khatla in Aizawl.
It also has a DIG residence in Tuikhuahtlang area, a commandant bungalow and a church at Tuikual near Zodin, besides plots of land and a war memorial.
The paramilitary force has retained its 23 sector headquarters, Mizoram range, in Khatla and the DIG residence, the officials said.
Govt to start procuring ginger, broomsticks from Feb 2: CM
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Tuesday announced that his government would begin procurement of ginger and dry broomsticks from farmers from February 2 under the state’s flagship handholding scheme.
He made the announcement while inaugurating a ginger processing unit at Sairang, about 21 km from Aizawl.
Despite being predominantly an agrarian state, no particular crop of Mizoram had earlier brought special recognition.
“Today, Mizoram is known as the ginger capital of India, and this recognition is the result of the hard work of farmers,” he said.
The NITI Aayog has recently declared Mizoram as the “ginger capital of India”.
“The government will start procuring ginger and dry broomsticks from farmers from February 2 under the ‘Bana Kaih’ programme,” Lalduhoma said.
He said ginger cultivation has enabled many families to earn better and has increased their purchasing power.
Sticking to its poll promises, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government has been procuring ginger, turmeric, chilli, broomsticks and unhusked rice from farmers, who are given support prices for their crops under the ‘Bana Kaih’ scheme launched in September 2024.
The government has spent about Rs 137.72 crore as support price for the purchase of ginger last year, officials said.
It also purchased 48,602.29 quintals of dried broomsticks worth nearly Rs 2 crore and 1,473 quintals of paddy (unhusked rice) worth Rs 44.18 lakh from the farmers during the same year, they said.
The chief minister said the state also has strong potential for ‘sapthei’ fruit and efforts will be made to promote its cultivation on a larger scale.