 "Mizoram elections 2023: A short glimpse into the northeastern state")
Location
Bounded by Myanmar in the east and south and Bangladesh in the west, Mizoram is located in India's northeastern corner. The name Mizoram (“Land of the Mizos”) is derived from Mi (people), Zo (Belonging to the people of Mizoram/Lushai Hills) and Ram (land).
Bounded by Myanmar in the east and south and Bangladesh in the west, Mizoram is located in India's northeastern corner. The name Mizoram (“Land of the Mizos”) is derived from Mi (people), Zo (Belonging to the people of Mizoram/Lushai Hills) and Ram (land).
History
In 1947, the area that is now the state of Mizoram was known as the Lushai Hills District and it was part of Assam. The British created the administrative unit and designated it as an 'excluded area'. After India’s independence in 1947, the district remained a part of Assam and seven years later it was renamed as the Mizo Hills District.
Granting statehood
Seeking sovereign independence of Greater Mizoram, separatist leader Laldenga's Mizo National Front (MNF) resorted to insurrection and declared independence in 1966. The subsequent rebellion prompted the central government of India to assume Mizoram’s administration and to make it a union territory in 1972. However, the demand for a full-fledged statehood continued. In 1986, the central government and the MNF signed the Mizoram Peace Accord. Mizoram was granted statehood in 1987.
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Religion
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With the arrival of the Arthington Aborigines missionaries in Mizoram in 1894, Christian beliefs gradually replaced the animistic beliefs of the tribes inhabiting the hilly areas. Christianity is the religion of 87 per cent of Mizoram's population, with most people following the Presbyterian sect. Buddhists, who are mainly Chakma people, are the largest religious minority in Mizoram, followed by Hindus and Muslims.
Population
According to the 2011 census, Mizoram had approximately 1.09 million people, making it the second least populous state in India after Sikkim. Population projections by the Ministry of Family Welfare released in 2020, places Mizoram's population in 2021 at 1.21 million. Mizoram's population is expected to reach 1.36 million by 2036.
Population composition
Almost 95 per cent of the residents in Mizoram are classified as Scheduled Tribes, according to the 2011 census. The most prominent of the Mizo peoples are the Kuki, Pawi, and Lakher. They speak 'Mizo, a Tibeto-Burman language.
Agriculture is the predominant economic activity in Mizoram, employing over two-thirds of the workforce. Although the state receives a lot of rain, its soil is porous and the irrigation infrastructure is very inadequate. This has negatively affected the crop yield.
At present, the total area under horticulture crops is 110,000 ha, according to the state’s horticulture department. Mizoram is a major producer of Anthurium (over 7 million a year) and roses, supplying the domestic market as well as exporting it to the UAE, UK and Japan. Anthurium is a category encompassing about 1,000 species of foliage plants. The state supplies 14 per cent of India's commercial bamboo.
Mizoram has small-scale industries at the village level such as sericulture (silk production), handloom and handicraft workshops, ginger processing, and furniture manufacturing. Large-scale manufacturing industries have not been well-developed in Mizoram.
According to the 2011 national census, Mizoram's average literacy level is 92 per cent, compared to 74 per cent average for India.
Politics in Mizoram
The major political parties are the MNF, Zoram National Party (ZNP), and the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Mizo National Front (MNF)
In 1959, the Mizo hills were hit by a devastating famine. The famine resulted in a rise in rodent population, which caused plague and starvation among the masses. In 1955, the Mizo Cultural Society, with Laldenga as its secretary, was formed to protest against government inaction and demand relief. By 1960, The Mizo Cultural Society was renamed as the Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF).
The Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) reorganised itself as an insurgent outfit in 1961. The new group, the Mizo National Front (MNF), was led by Laldenga. In 1966, the MNF launched an uprising against the Indian government, demanding autonomy for the Mizo hills. The secessionist movement led by MNF lasted for close to two decades.
The movement came to an end in June 1986 when the MNF and the government of India signed the Mizoram Peace Accord, which granted Mizoram statehood. The separate state of Mizoram was born in February 1987, and MNF chief Laldenga became the state’s first chief minister.
The MNF has been part of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) since 2014.
Zoram People’s Movement
The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) is the main opposition party in Mizoram with seven legislators in the state legislative assembly. The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) was formed as an electoral alliance of six minor parties in 2017. Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) and Zoram Exodus Movement (ZEM) were the initial members in August 2017. Mizoram People’s Party (MPP), Zoram Reformation Front (ZRF) and Zoram Democratic Front (ZDF) joined the alliance later.
In July 2019, ZPM officially got registration from the Election Commission of India (ECI). Apart from the MPC, which decided to sever ties with the front, all the other parties have been dissolved to form a single political entity.
The ZPM had contested 35 seats in the 2018 assembly elections and won eight seats with its party chief Lalduhoma winning two seats: Serchhip and Aizawl West-I seat.
In a major jolt to the ruling MNF, ZPM won all 11 wards in the newly formed Lunglei Municipal Council in 2023.
Major political issues in 2018
Consumption of alcohol
The Congress party was in power in Mizoram from 2018 to 2023. During this time, the party decided to do away with complete prohibition in the state and allow the consumption of alcohol in moderation. This decision was unpopular with many people in Mizoram, who are predominantly Christian. The Mizo National Front (MNF) capitalised on this unpopular decision by promising complete prohibition if it came to power. The party won 28 seats in the 2018 assembly elections, with the Congress at 5.
Manipur violence and tussle with BJP
Since the Kuki-Zo of the Manipur hills and the Mizos are kindred tribes, the ongoing violence in Manipur has become a major issue in Mizoram. Zoramthanga and the MNF have vocally expressed support for the Kuki-Zo of Manipur on many occasions. The MNF has also openly criticised the Biren Singh-led BJP government in Manipur, despite being a part of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a political alliance formed by the BJP in 2016 to unite several regional political parties in the North East.
The Mizoram Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023, which was approved by Parliament during its monsoon session. The MNF has also expressed opposition to the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
MNF’s Lok Sabha (LS) Member of Parliament (MP) C Lalrosanga supported the Opposition’s no-confidence motion in the LS. Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena stated that he was not allowed to speak on the Manipur issue even though he is the lone member representing the Mizo community in the Rajya Sabha.
State budget for 2023-24
Gross State Domestic Product: According to the budget presented for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24), the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Mizoram for 2023-24 (at current prices) is estimated to be at Rs 35,904 crore, a rise of 19 per cent over 2022-23.
Per capita GSDP: The per capita GSDP of Mizoram in 2021-22 (at current prices) is estimated at Rs 1,75,896, a rise of 16 per cent over 2020-21.
Total expenditure: According to the FY24 budget, total expenditure in 2023-24 is estimated at Rs 12,767 crore. This is a decrease of 12.4 per cent from the revised estimate of 2022-23.
Fiscal deficit: The state government is targeting the fiscal deficit to be at 3.5 per cent of GSDP (Rs 1,247 crore).
State profile
Capital: Aizawl
Capital: Aizawl
Chief Minister: Zoramthanga
Party: Mizo National Front (MNF)
Governor: Kambhampati Hari Babu
Area: 21,087 sq km
Bird: Mrs Hume's pheasant
Flower: Red Vanda
Tree: Ceylon ironwood