Imphal : The Manipur government has set a target of resettling more than 10,000 displaced families, comprising over 40,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), by March 31, State Chief Secretary Dr Puneet Kumar Goel said on Thursday.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to the timely and safe rehabilitation of all displaced persons, Dr Goel said efforts are under way to gradually restore stable living conditions and enable the resumption of livelihoods, education and normal community life.

According to an official release, the government has so far released about Rs 124 crore for the resettlement process. “As on today, about 3,700 families consisting of around 16,500 IDPs have been successfully resettled,” the release stated.

The Chief Secretary said the government has been regularly updating the public on the progress of rehabilitation. In December last year, the state had informed that around 10,000 IDPs from 2,200 families had already been resettled.

To sustain the momentum, approximately 7,000 houses have been sanctioned under the Special Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) for the reconstruction of fully damaged homes. Construction of these units is currently at various stages, the release said.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic unrest since May 3, 2023, which has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced around 50,000 people. Most of the displaced families are currently staying in relief camps set up across the state, while some have taken shelter outside Manipur.

To oversee the rehabilitation process, the government has constituted a state-level committee chaired by the Chief Secretary, with the Commissioner (Home), Director General of Police and other senior officials as members.

“The primary aim of the government is to gradually and securely rehabilitate IDPs, restore stable living conditions, and enable the resumption of livelihoods, education and normal community life,” the release said, adding that the government’s vision goes beyond mere relocation from relief camps and focuses on a holistic transition centred on livelihood, education and overall well-being of the displaced.

Promotional | North East Integration Rally