Manipur rolls out Rs 523 crore package to rehabilitate 60,000 violence-hit people

IMPHAL: The Manipur government has undertaken a Rs 523 crore rehabilitation package for around 60,000 violence-hit Internally Displaced People (IDPs), who have been living in relief camps since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023, officials said on Thursday. 

A senior Home Department official said that the government has initiated phased resettlement under the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Package of Rs 523 crore, as announced in the Manipur budget 2025-26.

As Manipur is under the President’s Rule since February 13 last year, the Lok Sabha on August 7 last year passed the Manipur Budget for 2025—26, authorizing an amount of Rs 30,969,44 (Rs 35,103.90 crore presented in March, 2025).

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget under Article 356.

The official said that under the first phase those families would be resettle whose houses have been partially damaged and under the second phase resettlement of families provided housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) (Special Package) within their respective districts.

In the third phase, resettlement of families requiring inter-district relocation between Valley and Hill districts, involving enhanced coordination, infrastructure development and security arrangements.

In a letter addressed to representatives of IDPs and the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei community, Special Secretary (Home) A Subhash Singh said the state government reiterates that the rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs remains the highest humanitarian priority.

“It is clarified that resettlement is necessarily contingent upon multiple critical factors such as security situation, site readiness, land availability, fund flow, climatic conditions and livelihood feasibility. Accordingly, the process is being implemented in a phased, dynamic and pragmatic manner rather than as a rigid, one-time, deadline-driven exercise,” the letter said. (IANS)

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