In a significant stride toward improving the welfare of retired government employees, the Mizoram government has resolved over 10,000 long-pending pension cases, with a promise to clear an additional 10,000 within the next month, according to Home Minister K Sapdanga. Speaking at a public function on Monday, Sapdanga highlighted the progress made under the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government in just a year and a half. “As many as 10,623 pension-related cases, which had remained unresolved for years, have been cleared. Our target is to resolve 10,000 more by next month,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to streamlining administrative processes and ensuring timely disbursal of pensions.
The backlog had long been a source of distress for many retired government employees in Mizoram, who often waited months or even years for their dues. The ZPM government’s intervention has brought a wave of relief and restored confidence in public service delivery. In addition to pension reforms, the Home Minister also outlined the successful implementation of the ‘Bana Kaih’ scheme, a flagship handholding programme launched in September 2024. Aimed primarily at supporting entrepreneurs and farmers, the scheme provides financial assistance, business mentoring, and access to credit through a partnership with select banks. One of the highlights of Bana Kaih is its offer of loans up to ₹50 lakh to eligible beneficiaries identified as “progress partners.” The government has earmarked ₹350 crore in the 2025–26 budget for the scheme, reflecting its central role in the administration’s development agenda.
Further bolstering its pro-farmer initiatives, the Mizoram government has also made a notable impact in the agriculture sector, particularly in ginger cultivation. Sapdanga revealed that the state has procured over 3 lakh quintals of ginger from about 20,000 farmers, who were collectively paid ₹120 crore as part of the support price mechanism under the Bana Kaih initiative. The large-scale procurement and direct financial support have boosted farmers’ incomes and stabilized prices in the local agricultural markets. The move has also been praised for addressing long-standing concerns over market access and fair pricing for Mizoram’s ginger growers.“These measures reflect our government’s sincere commitment to both our retired employees and our hardworking farmers,” said Sapdanga. “We believe in creating a government that not only promises but also delivers.”
