Mizoram’s Chief Minister urges stronger inter-departmental cooperation amidst administrative conflicts

Aizawl, Mizoram — September 18, 2025 In Aizawl today, Mizoram’s Chief Minister emphasised the urgency for enhanced cooperation among different government departments, warning that inter-departmental rivalry is undermining policy implementation, delaying development projects, and eroding public trust. Speaking at an all-officer meeting, the Chief Minister, while acknowledging the dedication of many officials, made it clear that siloed working, bureaucratic overlap, and finger-pointing must end if the state is to meet its developmental goals. The Chief Minister noted that in recent months, several infrastructure projects—ranging from road construction in rural districts to water supply schemes—had suffered due to poor coordination between Public Works, Rural Development, Irrigation and Water Resources, and local municipal bodies. He cited overlapping jurisdiction issues: for example, some roadworks are delayed because drainage planning falls under one department, while road alignment and budget approval lie in another. He urged officers to clearly demarcate roles, establish joint task forces where needed, and streamline communications. “Development in Mizoram cannot wait,” the Chief Minister said. “We cannot afford delays just because departments are not talking to each other. Citizens expect results, particularly in health, education, roads, and water supply. These are essential services, not optional extras.” He directed all department heads to furnish within two weeks detailed status reports of all ongoing major projects, listing delays, causes, responsible departments, and remedial plans. In addition to resolving inter-departmental friction, the Chief Minister implored officers to adopt a more collaborative mindset, particularly in remote and border districts, where geography already imposes hardship. He asked for regular field inspections, timely data sharing, and more participatory planning involving local councils and community leaders. He also suggested monthly coordination meetings between pairs of departments that commonly overlap, such as public works with irrigation, health with water supply, etc. Local officials reacting to the address said that many of the problems flagged are real. In districts like Lunglei, Champhai, and Serchhip, residents have complained of months-long delays in road repair due to confusion over which agency should allocate budget or sanction permits. Water supply works are sometimes held up because the engineering department’s designs need environmental clearances that must be approved by another authority, causing delays that compound during monsoon seasons. Critics say that this call for cooperation, while welcome, needs to be backed by clearer organizational reforms and accountability measures. Some officers reportedly feel that despite political direction, they lack tools and clarity to enforce coordination—for example, sanctioned manpower is often insufficient, and overlapping mandates are sometimes ambiguous in statutes or rules. To address this, the Chief Minister ordered the drafting of a “departmental coordination charter” that lays out responsibilities, timelines, escalation protocols, and penalty mechanisms for non-compliance. He also asked the state cadre of officers to undergo orientation and training in inter-agency project management, with an eye towards reducing bureaucratic red-tape. Observers believe that this push is partly driven by Mizoram’s ongoing efforts to leverage central funding and woo investment; poor execution in state projects can erode credibility and delay release of funds. Also, with state elections on the horizon in several parts, visible delivery of infrastructure and services is politically important. Overall, the day’s message was clear: Mizoram must move beyond departmental turf wars. For the government, the challenge now is converting this vision of seamless public administration into concrete behavior changes on the ground.