Bringing Social Change Through NEDP

Though NEDP has been implemented by the State only recently and its activities are still confined to a few selected fields, its achievement in the social sector is encouraging. There still exist a great scope for expansion in terms of coverage and extent.

Mary Lalrinchhungi

The emergence of society in human history has its root in people living together in a community. When in a society, a diverse variety of individual needs and demands has commonality, social problems come into being. It requires education, research, efforts, strategy and investment to analyse such problem and come up with a solution. In modern days, social intervention by Government has become crucial. Accordingly, combining growth strategies across various sectors of the economy, the Government of Mizoram introduced a comprehensive development Programme – New Economic Development Programme (NEDP) from the year 2016 – 2017.

One of the important components of the NEDP is the Social Sector which encompasses public health, education, nutrition, water supply, sanitation, poverty alleviation etc. Development of this sector will result in improvement in the quality life and well being of the people, achievement of all- round development of human capital, increasing productivity of human resources and ultimately enhance the rate of economic growth. Hence, investment in social sector development is of vital importance.

Mizoram has done fairly well in the social sector. It ranked higher than the national average in terms of Human Development Index(HDI), particularly in the field of nutrition and literacy. However, the State is lagging behind in terms of quality education, employability, skills development, quality health and medical services, access to adequate safe drinking water, modern and hygienic sanitation facilities etc. Therefore, the Government’s NEDP initiates action to complement efforts taken through existing schemes and programmes in the development of this sector.