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Guwahati: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma addressed a Seminar/Workshop on “Leveraging Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) in the North Eastern States” organised by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, at Shillong.The inaugural session of the seminar was chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and was attended by Chief Ministers from all Northeastern States, along with senior officials from the region and the Government of India.The seminar was organised to strengthen the capacity of Northeastern States in implementing Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) and to facilitate the sharing of experiences and best practices. It also reviewed EAPs implemented across different states over the years and explored ways to design more effective and impactful projects for the benefit of the region.Lalduhoma highlighted the significant role played by EAPs in Mizoram’s development. He stated that externally aided projects not only provide financial assistance but also bring valuable technical expertise, as specialists from partner institutions study local challenges and share their knowledge and experiences to improve project implementation.The Chief Minister noted that Mizoram is among the leading states in the Northeast in terms of accessing EAP funding. He cited several major initiatives supported by international development partners, including the Aizawl–Thenzawl–Lunglei Road funded by the World Bank and various road development projects supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), including the Mizoram State Roads II Project aimed at strengthening connectivity in border areas.He further highlighted EAP-supported interventions in urban infrastructure, water supply improvement, and public resource management. In the agriculture sector, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-supported FOCUS project has significantly improved rural livelihoods, benefiting around 55,000 households and increasing their income by approximately 43 percent, while also contributing to environmental conservation.In the health sector, he said that the World Bank-assisted Health System Strengthening Project has enabled 62 government health facilities and hospitals in Mizoram to obtain National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification. Prior to the implementation of the project, the state had no NQAS-certified health facility or hospital.The Chief Minister also highlighted the ongoing construction of the Super Speciality Cancer Centre with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the implementation of the Universal Health Care Scheme supported by ADB funding, and the revival of the 24 MW Tuirini Hydroelectric Project with support from the New Development Bank (NDB) as part of the state’s efforts towards energy self-sufficiency.Stressing the importance of EAPs in creating quality infrastructure and accelerating development, Lalduhoma stated that Mizoram requires access to more such projects. He also appealed for an enhancement of the EAP ceiling available to the Northeastern States to enable them to undertake a greater number of development initiatives.