MIZORAM AT A GLANCE

Location:

Mizoram is located in the North Eastern part of India and covers an area of 21081 sq.km. It is bounded on the north by the Cachar district of Assam and the stat of Manipur. On the east and south it is bounded by Myanmar , to the west by the Chittagong hill tracks of Bangladesh and the state of Tripura.

Physiography: 

Mizoram is a land of hills, geologically the Mizo hills form a part of the Aracan Arc a series of compact parallel ridges with north to south axis formed of tertiary sand stone, limestone and shale’s (rock between 1.6 and 66.4 million years old). The ridges separated by narrow river valleys rise to a height of 2157 m. Capital Aizawl is a hilly town located  at about 4050 feet sea level. The hills are covered with evergreen forest containing valuable timber trees and bamboo. The actual forest cover in 1997 ws 18775 sq.km. which has been decreased to 17494 sq.km in 2001 due to in discrimate Jhuming (burning of forest & planting). Although many rivers and streams drain the hill ranges the most important and useful river in the south is Kaladan and its tributaries flow southwards into Myanmar while the Dhaleswari and Sonai rivers flow north into Assam and eventually join the river Barak in the plains of Cachar.

With the implementation of North Eastern Reorganization Act, 1972, Mizoram became a Union Territory in 1972. Subsequently, as a sequel to the signing of the historic Memorandum of Settlement between Govt. of India and the Mizo National Front in 1986 Mizoram attained the statehood on 20^th February, 1987 .

Climate :

The climate of Mizoram is moderate. The annual average temperature averaging between 10^oC to 21^oC in winter and 20^oC to 28^oC in summer.

Rainfall:

The south west monsoon from the Bay of Bengal visits the state around May and lingers till September.The annual rainfall is fairly heavy and evenly spread about 2500mm on an average. Winter brings frost in some place but no snowfall.

Economy:

Agriculture is practically the only occupation in Mizoram. The territory is famous for its fibreless ginger, although other cash crops like mustard, sesames and potatoes are also grown. However, the method of cultivation Jhum is primitive and destructive. The Mizoram Government is now trying to induce the peasant to change over to more permanent systems of cultivation like terrace farming on the hill slopes. Rice, maize, oilseeds, cotton and vegetables are the main crops. People are also engaged in sericulture and produce mulberry, eri, muga and tussar silk. The main horticultural crops are citrus like opranges, lemon, passion fruits, pineapple and pappya. Other crops are sugarcane, tapioca and cotton. In the forest bamboo is abundantly grown. Mizoram is known for its “Muli Bamboo” (Melocana baccifera) grown over an area of more than 6400 sq.km which is one-third of the total area of the state

The People: 

The wood Mizo means Highlanders consisting of several clans such as Lusai, Ralte, Hmar, Mara and such other sub-tribes migrated from the China hills of Myanmar in between 1750 to 1850. They came under the influence of British Missionaries in the 19^th Century and now most of the Mizos are Christians. Christianity brought changes in their social life, outlook, western life styles and modern education. Mizos have the highest literacy rate (88%) in the country.

Area                                                                             : 21081 Sq. km.

Principal languages                                                        : Mizo, Hindi and English

Population                                                                    : 891058

Percentage of decadal growth of population                  : 29.18

(1990-2001)

            Male                                                                : 459783

            Female                                                             : 431275

Rural                                                                            : 450018

            Male                                                                : 233718

            Female                                                             : 216300

Urban                                                                           : 441040

            Male                                                                : 226065

            Female                                                             : 214975

% of urban population                                                   : 49.50

Child between six years                                                : 141537

            Male                                                                :  71817

            Female                                                             :  69720

Literacy rate                                                                 : 663262

(74.44%)as against recorded

                                                                                      88.40%).

            Women literate                                     ........... : 311417

            Male literate                                                     : 351851

Density of population                                                    : 42

The number of literates and illiterates in Mizoram as per 2001 Census are as under (Figures of 1991 given in brackets):

District-wise population                                             :

Infrastructure:

            Roads (As on 2003)                                                     : 5075 Km

            Railway route length                                                      : 1.50 Km

            (As on 31-3-2003 )

            Railway route density                                                    : 0.07 Km

            Per thousand sq.km. in 2004

            No. of Airports                                                 ........... : 1(one)

            Per capita consumption of                                             : 299.85 Kwh.

            Electricity in 2002-03.

Social Infrastructure:

            No.of Towns(as per 2001 Cnsus)                                 : 22

            No. of districts                                                              :   8

            No. of Govt. Hospitals                                      ........... : 12

            No. of Post Office                                                        : 400

            No. of bank branches                                                   : 81

            (As on 31-3-05 )

            Amount of deposit                                                        : 909.4

            (in Crores)(As on 31-3-05 )

Amount of Advance                                                       : 460.25

(As on 31-3-05 )

Credit deposit ratio                                                       : 50.61

(As on 31-3-05 )

Major industries/crops/minerals:      Industries exploration and refining of petroleum, Coal, Saw plywood & veneer mills, Lime, Paper, Handloom & handicrafts (Bamboo & Cane), Sericulture, Brass & Belt metal.

                                                           Crops: Tea, rice, jute, cotton, oil seeds, sugarcane.

1.         Total Population below Poverty Line:    47,650 Nos.

            Sl. No. Name of District                                     BPL

            i)          Aizawl West                                         11,623

            ii)         Aizawl East                                          10,341

            iii)         Champhai                                               8,140

            iv)        Lunglei                                                   9,276

            v)         Saiha                                                      3,867

            vi)        Lawngthai                                               4,303

            vii)        Reserved                                                   100

                                                                                    _______

                                                                                    47,650

                                                                                    ======

2.         Total Holding Pattern :

            (i)         Whether Forest Land owned by individual :

            (ii)        By the Government                                           :

3.         Total No. of Major River :                                11 Nos.

            Sl.No.  Name of River

            i)          Tlawng

            ii)         Chhimtuipuii

            iii)         Tuichang

            iv)        Mat

            v)         Khathlang Tuipui,

            vi)        Twichang

            vii)        Khawchhak Tuipui,

            viii)       Tuirini

            ix)        Tuivawl

            x)         Tuirial

            xi)        Tut

4.         Total Nos. of National Highways :

            I.          TotalNos.                                             : 6

            II.         Total Lengths                                        : 921 Km

                        (a) NH-150                                          : 130 Km

                        (b) NH-44A                                         : 140 Km

                        (c) NH-154                                          :  58 Km

                        (d) NH-54                                           : 544 Km

                        (e) NH-54A                                         :   10 Km

                        (f) NH-54B                                          :   39 Km

5.         Total Nos. of PWD Roads –

            I.          Total Nos.                                            : 6

            II.         Total Lengths                                        : 3721.69 Km

            Length of Border Road                                      : 1335.94 Km

As per the report of the Ministry of Road Transport Govt. of India as on March,2003, Mizoram has a total road length of 5075 Km. The rail routs providers a critical inputs for overcoming transport bottlenecks in any state or region. However, as on March,2004, the rail density expressed in terms of routs length per thousand square kilometer in Mizoram was 0.07 Km as against all India figure of 700.36 Km displaying the most outward appearance of Mizoram’s infrastructural infirmity that calls for any urgent need for building up rail & road network in the state.

6.         I.           No. of Industrial Estates                        : 2( two)

            II.         Name & Lcation                                   : (1)      Zuangtui Industrial Estate

                                                                                                Aizawl District,

                                                                                                Area: 314.70 Bigha

                                                                                      (2)      Kolasib Industrial Estate,

                                                                                                Kolasib district.

                                                                                                Area : 10.79 Acres

                        Total Area

                        No. of Shed

                        Occupied

                        Vacant                                                             Data not available with the

                        Power positions                                                Industrial Department

                        Present status

7.         Total Power Scenario :

            I.          Total Power Generation in the State      : Thermal – 22.92 MW

                                                                                      Hydel –    13.75 MW

                                                                                                       36.67 MW

            II.         Power Availability                                 : Power availability varies from

                                                                                      40 MW to 93 MW ( including

                                                                                      30 to 75 MW from GRID)

            III.       Peak Demand                                       : Demand – 55 MW.

8.         No. of Villages  (District-wise)

9.         Un-employed Scenario                                     : 31462 (M – 20630,  F – 10832 )

            The Level of Poverty:

Although the exists in a number of areas such as geographical terrain and inaccessibility, infrastructure bottleneck distance from marketing hub, educational and technological centres, lack of Industrial exposure in Mizoram yet, the level of poverty in Mizoram is much lower level (26.74%) as compared to 55% in Tripura, 35.53% in Assam and 55.16% in Meghalaya as against the national average of 35%. Out of the total population of 891058, the people below poverty line is 238250 which works out to 26.72%.

10.       Total area under forest                                      : 1749400 Ha.

11.       Total bamboo grown area under forest              : 6,44,600 Ha.

12.       Total Bamboo cultivation area under forest        : 4640 Ha.

13.       Name of various species of bamboo                  : 26 Nos.