Mizoram leveraging high literacy to build digital governance ecosystem: CM Lalduhoma

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on February 4 said the state’s exceptionally high literacy rate and widespread English proficiency are being strategically leveraged to transform Mizoram into a digital powerhouse, with a strong focus on efficient and accessible public service delivery.

The Chief Minister made the remarks while inaugurating the computerisation of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) at a function held at the Chief Minister’s Office here, describing the initiative as a key milestone in the state’s digital roadmap. Mizoram was declared the country’s first fully literate state on May 20 last year, recording a literacy rate of 98.2 per cent.

Lalduhoma said his government accords top priority to simplifying governance processes and ensuring faster, more transparent access to services for citizens. He noted that the steady progress achieved over the past two years reflects the government’s broader ambition to position Mizoram as a national leader in digital service delivery.

Highlighting the state’s social advantages, the Chief Minister said Mizoram’s small population, combined with high literacy levels and strong English proficiency, provides a solid foundation for rapid adoption of modern technologies. These strengths, he said, enable the state to implement digital systems more effectively than many larger states.

Lalduhoma further informed that more than 20 online service portals have been launched in the last two years, including the recently introduced Mizoram CSR Connect Portal, significantly expanding the state’s digital governance footprint.

State Corporation Minister P C Vanlalruata, who was also present at the event, said Mizoram has become the first state in the country to fully computerise all regional offices of the Cooperation Department. He said the initiative will benefit both citizens and the government by enabling cooperative societies to interact digitally with the RCS and district offices, eliminating the need for physical visits and substantially improving ease of doing business.

Officials said the digital system is also expected to streamline internal administrative workflows, reduce paperwork and cut down processing time for departmental staff.

Cooperation Department Secretary Adit Prakash Rai said the ‘RCS, Mizoram Office Application/Portal’ (cooperation.mizoram.gov.in) has been developed under the centrally sponsored scheme ‘Strengthening Cooperatives Through IT Interventions’. The project was initiated on March 29 last year and covers the RCS office in Aizawl as well as cooperative offices across all districts of the state.