Chief Minister Chairs Scram Meeting

Aizawl, Sept 2025: The Planning & Programme Implementation Department’s Conference Hall, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma with the Society for Climate Resilient Agriculture in Mizoram (SCRAM) to discuss the implementation of FOCUS 2.0.

Since the completion of the FOCUS 1.0 programme, the Mizoram government has approved the launch of FOCUS 2.0, to be implemented in coordination with the Handholding Scheme. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has sanctioned Rs. 380 crore for this purpose, which has been released to the State’s Finance Department, and a proposal has already been submitted to the Central government. Implementation will be carried out through convergence among various departments under the Planning & Programme Implementation Department.

A notification establishing the new Governing Council for FOCUS 2.0 was issued on August 20, 2025, naming it the Society for Climate Resilient Agriculture in Mizoram (SCRAM). The Chief Minister will serve as Ex-officio Chairman, while the Planning Secretary will act as Ex-officio Member Secretary. FOCUS 2.0 is scheduled to run for six years.

During the meeting, members discussed and approved several matters: structural frameworks for the project, changes in nomenclature, guidelines for revising and integrating practices from FOCUS 1.0, as well as roles and responsibilities at the State, District, and Village levels. Plans were also reviewed for the selection and mobilization of field workers.

FOCUS 2.0 will be implemented across 11 districts, covering 700 villages and benefitting around 75,000 households. Among them, 7,000 households of landless farmers will be included as direct beneficiaries. The scheme also aims to ensure significant participation of women as beneficiaries.

Those present at the meeting included Pu PC Vanlalruata, Minister for Agriculture; Pu Lalthansanga, Minister for Land Resources, Soil & Water Conservation; Pu TBC Lalvenchhunga, Adviser to the Chief Minister; Dr. KC Lalmalsawmzauva, Adviser to the Chief Minister; Pu Khilli Ram Meena, Chief Secretary; and other senior officials.