The Mizoram government on Monday denied the allegation that it has been trying to shift the state capital from Aizawl to Thenzawl in Serchhip district.
In a statement, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government also asserted that a "clerical error" in a letter sent by the Centre to the state administration led to the misunderstanding that the capital would be shifted to Thenzawl.
Thenzawl is a census town located about 93 km from Aizawl, and it falls under the Serchhip constituency from where Chief Minister Lalduhoma was elected consecutively in the 2018 and 2023 assembly polls.
Mizoram's main opposition party, the Mizo National Front (MNF), on August 1 charged the CM with "secretly" trying to shift the state capital from Aizawl to Thenzawl and seeking funds from the Centre to execute the plan.
MNF general secretary Zodinpuia had said, "On April 24, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs sent letters to the Mizoram chief secretary and resident commissioner in Delhi under the subject 'shifting of state capital from Aizawl to Thenzawl', asking them to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the matter.
The state Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation department in a statement clarified that there was a "clerical error" in the letter sent to the state government by the Centre, which was mistaken for shifting the state capital from Aizawl to Thenzawl.
The letter was about sanctioning a fund of Rs 10 crore by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for preparing the Detailed Project Report for the 'Thenzawl peace city' project, it said.
On April 4, Lalduhoma said that plans were afoot to develop Thenzawl and the surrounding areas as a 'peace city' to house about 10 lakh people.
Lalduhoma had said that he was optimistic about getting financial help from the Centre for the project, as he had earlier discussed the plan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The CM had also said he discussed the plan with the 16th Finance Commission, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs approved Rs 10 crore to develop a master plan for the project.
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