IMPHAL — The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved a combined allocation of nearly ₹950 crore for relief and rehabilitation efforts in Manipur, where ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities has continued to displace tens of thousands of people since May 3, 2023.
The MHA sanctioned ₹424.36 crore for the operation of relief camps and ₹523 crore for the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), according to the state Home Department. The figures were disclosed in response to an RTI query filed by senior Manipur Congress leader Hareshwar Goshwami.
The RTI reply paints a stark picture of the humanitarian situation nearly three years after the violence erupted.
A total of 58,881 people have been displaced from their home villages between May 3, 2023 and March 30, 2026. As of March 10, 2026, 174 relief camps remained operational across the state. In addition, 3,000 pre-fabricated houses have been constructed by the Manipur Police Housing Corporation Ltd to provide temporary accommodation.
The violence has claimed 217 lives, based on ex gratia payments made to the next of kin. It has also caused widespread destruction — 7,894 permanent houses have been completely destroyed and 2,646 partially damaged since the crisis began.
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The ethnic conflict erupted on May 3, 2023, following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Meiteis constitute approximately 53 per cent of Manipur's population and primarily reside in the Imphal Valley. Tribal communities — including Nagas and Kukis — make up around 40 per cent of the population and largely inhabit the state's eleven hill districts. The fault lines between the two sides have remained deep, with displacement and insecurity persisting across large parts of the state.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has stated that expediting the rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs remains a top priority for the state government.
He noted that the Centre has extended substantial support for permanent housing construction, compensation for lost personal belongings, and repair of partially damaged homes. An additional allocation of ₹734 crore has been made in the 2026-27 Budget to accelerate resettlement efforts.
The state government initially set up more than 300 relief camps across the Imphal Valley and hill regions, sheltering nearly 60,000 displaced persons. With conditions gradually improving in some areas, a number of individuals have since returned to their homes.