Over 300 IDPs begin returning home in Bishnupur and Imphal East
The internally displaced persons began resettling in Bishnupur and Imphal East as Manipur speeds up rehabilitation following the 2023 crisis.
A file image of IDPs in Manipur
Imphal, Dec 9: As over 250 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have started to resettle at their village in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, other such 54 families have also started to resettle at their village in Imphal East district, officials said on Monday.
Confirming this, the Deputy Commissioner Dr Nivedita Lairenlakpam said that 54 families of the IDPs started the process to resettle at Laikhong village under Keirao Bitra subdivision (Andro assembly constituency) in the last week of November this year.
Now, efforts are also on for the resettlement of 31 families of the IDPs from Kakching district who are at present taking shelter in the relief camps of Imphal East district. There are two groups of IDPs in Imphal East district — one from the district itself and the rest is from other districts.
“We’re waiting for completion of the annual examinations,” the DC said, adding that they’re also planning for the resettlement of families of 37 IDPs of Dolaithabi area.
DC Nivedita of Imphal East district was speaking to reporters on the sideline of handing over of monthly allowance to the IDPs on Monday.
For the month of November, an amount of Rs 11,74,320 was handed over the 466 IDPs from Ekou village. These IDPs are currently taking shelter at Sajiwa relief camp.
The amount was formally “returned” to the representatives of the IDPs on Monday.
On November 6, the IDPs of Sajiwa relief camp returned their monthly allowance, Rs 11,74,320, for November to the Imphal East district authority protesting against the introduction of direct benefit transfer scheme for ration allowance.
It may be recalled that altogether 257 IDPs (belonging to 64 households) from Leimaram high school relief camp have returned to their Leimaram Waroiching village under the revenue jurisdiction of Nambol subdivision in Manipur’s Bishnupur district.
The State government had recently constituted “State-level” and “district-level” committees with immediate effect to strengthen the ongoing efforts for the rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs in the State.
Since the Manipur crisis erupted on May 3, 2023, more than 250 persons have been killed and over 50,000 have been displaced.