Mizoram government seeks Central assistance for displaced people of Manipur

 IMPHAL: The Mizoram government has asked the Union government to release funds for the relief of displaced people from Manipur who have migrated to the state following the outbreak of ethnic violence. The Union government has yet to respond to the request of the state. There are roughly 12,200 displaced people in Mizoram. The state government has sought Rs. 10 crore from the union government for their relief.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has written two letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 16 and May 23 and sought financial support of Rs 10 crore to provide relief to the refugees. Mizoram Home Commissioner-cum-Secretary H. Lalengmawia said that a delegation from the state led by Tourism Minister Robert Romawia recently met the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), including Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, and requested that they release the central fund to provide relief to the displaced people. “The response of the MHA officials’ was positive. But we have yet to receive any financial support. We are expecting funds from the MHA,” said Lalengmawia, who was also part of the delegation.

The displaced people of Manipur belong to the Kuki-Hmar-Mizo-Zomi ethnic group, which shares close ethnicity with the Mizo people. The government has set up 35 relief camps in 11 districts of Mizoram, while the majority of the people are staying in rented accommodations or with relatives. Kolasib district, which borders southern Assam, currently hosts the highest number of displaced people at 4,350, followed by Aizawl district with 4,050 and Saitual district with 3,000 people. After the military takeover in Myanmar in February 2021, thousands of Myanmarese also took shelter in Mizoram. There are around 35,000 Myanmarese in the state.

Meanwhile, 7,000 tribals have also settled in Mizoram after troubles broke out in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeast Bangladesh. (IANS)

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