AGARTALA, July 3 - After 22 long years, a tripartite agreement on the repatriation of Reang (Bru) refugees sheltered in six relief camps in North and Unakoti districts was inked by the Chief Secretaries of Tripura and Mizoram in the presence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi today, official sources said.
As per the agreement, the displaced Bru refugees will be repatriated to Mizoram before September 30, 2018 and all temporary camps in North and Unakoti districts will be closed in the first week of October, 2018.
The MHA will also endeavour to address some other suggestions made by the displaced Brus. A monitoring committee under the Special Secretary (IS), MHA, with representatives of the governments of Mizoram and Tripura and representatives the Bru people has been constituted to coordinate implementation of the agreement in true spirit, according to an official communiqu� from the State Government.
The main elements of the rehabilitation package will be as follows: (1) Each family will be given a one-time financial assistance amounting to Rs 4 lakh to be kept in a fixed deposit in the name of the head of the family within one month of its repatriation (the money will remain in fixed deposit for two years and the money will be given to the family on its having lived continuously in Mizoram for three years); (2) each family will be given Rs 5,000 per month as cash assistance for a period of two years from the date of repatriation; (3) the cash assistance will be provided through DBT; (4) each family will be given Rs 1.5 lakh for house building assistance (this will be disbursed in three instalments: Rs 25,000 at the time of repatriation, Rs 50,000 on completion of 50 per cent of house construction and the remaining Rs 75,000 on the completion of the house); (5) each person repatriating will be given free rations for two years at the present rate applicable; and (6) each family will get free transportation to be arranged by the Government of Mizoram (the agreed cost of transportation will be reimbursed to the Mizoram Government by the MHA).
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb thanked the Union Home Minister for his initiative in making the pact possible.
