Aizawl, Feb 17 (IANS) Mizoram Governor General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd) on Tuesday said that security and enforcement agencies have seized narcotics valued at over Rs 1,047 crore in the state during 2025-26, along with large quantities of illegal arecanuts, liquor, arms, explosives, and counterfeit currency, leading to numerous arrests.

​Addressing the opening day of the sixth sitting of the 9th Mizoram Assembly, which is also the budget session, the Governor said that the overall law and order situation in Mizoram during 2025-26 remained peaceful due to proactive policing and continuous monitoring by the state police. ​

Security was strengthened along inter-state and international borders in coordination with the Assam Rifles and Border Security Force (BSF), he said, adding that significant progress was made in combating illicit drugs and smuggling. ​

The budget session of the Mizoram assembly will continue till March 16. The Governor said that drug trafficking and substance abuse remain serious concerns for the state government. ​

The Excise and Narcotics Department has taken sustained action, resulting in the arrest of 652 drug traffickers, and the seizure of 487.128 kg of contraband drugs and 35 ganja plants during the current financial year (2025-26). ​

The Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019 continues to be strictly enforced, and following the notification of the Amendment Act and Rules, 2025 on October 6, 2025, enforcement through December 2025 resulted in 4,532 arrests and 4,915 registered cases. ​

Mizoram has achieved 100 per cent coverage under Ayushman cards, benefiting 2.22 lakh families and 5.91 lakh individuals, he stated.

​Governor General Singh (Retd) told the house that tourist footfall from April to December 2025 reached a record 6,79,607, including 9,606 foreigners, making Mizoram the fastest-growing tourism destination in the Northeast. ​

Under the Empowering Mizoram sports, eight disciplines with Olympic potential have been prioritised. ​

On January 15, 2026, Mizoram received the award for “Best Upcoming State Promoting Sports and Physical Education, he said. According to the Governor, the state emerged as the overall champion in the India Skills Northeast Regional Competition 2025-26. In collaboration with IndiaAI, a Data and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is being established to train 360 candidates over the next three years. ​

The Governor said that Mizoram is the first in the Northeast to distribute Property Cards, with 4,041 issued in Aizawl District. Work is underway to issue 10,401 cards in 71 villages across Saitual, Kolasib, and Khawzawl Districts. In the current financial year, an average of 57.59 days of employment has been provided to active job card holders under MGNREGA. ​

In all 15 rural upliftment projects are being implemented under “Project Rotling – Hmasawnna Rahbi Thar”. ​

Under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin, 25,303 of 29,967 sanctioned houses have been completed, and 30 new Panchayat Bhavans are under construction. Under the state’s flagship programme, the ‘Mizoram Bana Kaih’ (Hand Holding Scheme), implementation has progressed to Phase II. ​

To make the Chief Minister’s Special Package more accessible to the public, the ceiling amount has been reduced to Rs 50,000, General Singh (Retd) said. ​

He said that on September 13, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bairabi-Sairang New Railway Line, a landmark development that has now positioned Aizawl on India’s railway map for the first time. This project is expected to bring transformative progress in multiple areas.

​Mizoram has been declared the first fully literate state in India (in terms of reading and writing proficiency) on May 20, 2025, the Governor said.

–IANS

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