Aizawl, Jan 13 (NationPress) The Central government has decided to waive the obligation for the Mizoram government to cover the depreciated expenses concerning buildings and infrastructure vacated by the Assam Rifles in Aizawl, Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced.

In a post on Facebook, the Chief Minister mentioned that Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai communicated this decision via a letter, which was a response to a previous letter sent by the Mizoram government in May of the prior year.

According to the earlier Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) established between the Mizoram government and the Assam Rifles, the state was mandated to bear the depreciated cost of the vacated buildings and infrastructure, which had been estimated at Rs 5.2304 crore.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma expressed that while this sum may not be substantial for the Central government, it would have posed a significant financial strain for a smaller state like Mizoram.

He noted that the state government had sought the Centre's assistance in waiving the payment, and the approval of this request has provided considerable relief.

The Chief Minister conveyed his appreciation to the Central government and the Union Home Ministry for their decision.

On March 15 of the previous year, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Assam Rifles establishments relocated from Aizawl to Zokhawsang, approximately 15 km east of the state capital.

During the ceremony to hand over the land, Lalduhoma remarked that Home Minister Shah played a pivotal role in supporting the transfer of the Assam Rifles’ land to the state government, emphasizing that his contribution would be remembered in Mizoram's history.

The Chief Minister indicated that the relocation of the Assam Rifles complex from Aizawl is a long-anticipated measure that would greatly influence the city's progress. He highlighted that Mizoram, being a mountainous region, faces unique challenges in urban development, and the rapid growth of Aizawl necessitates improvements in infrastructure.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on October 23, 2024, at Mizoram House, New Delhi, detailing the relocation process and the terms of the land transfer.

The relocation initiative was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister with a ceremonial lamp-lighting.

The demand for relocating the Assam Rifles complex from Aizawl to Zokhawsang was first raised in 1988 by the then Mizo National Front (MNF) government, led by Chief Minister Laldenga, after the paramilitary force was involved in a violent incident resulting in the deaths of 11 civilians. In February 2019, the Union Home Ministry instructed the paramilitary force to move its complex to Zokhawsang by May 31 of that year.

However, the relocation was postponed as the Assam Rifles stated that the necessary infrastructure was not ready at that time. The Zokhawsang complex was eventually inaugurated by Union Home Minister Shah in April 2023.