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Manipur Aims to Resettle 40,000 Violence-Displaced People by March 2026

The Manipur government has announced a plan to rehabilitate approximately 40,000 people displaced by ethnic violence by March 2026, with over 16,500 already resettled. Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel stated that a state-level committee is rigorously monitoring the process, which focuses on livelihood, education, and wellness beyond mere relocation. The government has sanctioned about 7,000 houses under a special scheme and released around Rs 124 crore for resettlement efforts. This comes amid protests by displaced families demanding secure return to their original homes, following meetings with state officials.

Key Points: Manipur to Rehabilitate 40,000 IDPs from Ethnic Violence by 2026

  • 40,000 IDPs targeted for resettlement
  • Over 16,500 people already rehabilitated
  • Rs 124 crore released for aid and housing
  • Special PMAY-G houses sanctioned
  • Protests held demanding secure return
3 min read

Manipur govt to rehabilitate 40,000 violence-hit people by March

Manipur govt plans to resettle 40,000 people displaced since May 2023 violence. Over 16,500 already rehabilitated with Rs 124 crore released for housing and aid.

"The Government remains committed to ensure timely and safe rehabilitation of all displaced persons at the earliest. - Puneet Kumar Goel"

Imphal, Jan 30

The Manipur government on Thursday announced plans to rehabilitate around 40,000 Internally Displaced People, who have been living in relief camps since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, by March this year.

Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, announcing the rehabilitation plan, said that the Government aims to resettle more than 10,000 displaced IDP families consisting of more than 40,000 people by March 31, 2026.

"The Government remains committed to ensure timely and safe rehabilitation of all displaced persons at the earliest," he said. The Chief Secretary said that the state government, from time to time, has been apprising the people of Manipur regarding the progress of resettlement of IDPs in the state.

"As stated earlier, a state-level committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, and with the Commissioner, Home Department, Director General of Police, and other senior officials of the government as members, has been formed to monitor the rehabilitation process in the state, Goel said.

Similarly, district-level committees are formed under the District Magistrates. According to the Chief Secretary, these committees are meeting regularly and conducting rigorous reviews of the rehabilitation process.

He said that the primary aim of the government is to gradually and securely rehabilitate IDPs, restore stable living conditions, and enable resumption of livelihoods, education and normal community life.

The government's vision extends beyond mere relocation of IDPs from camps to their homes, rather a holistic transition out of relief camps with focus on livelihood, education and overall wellness of the IDPs. By December 2025, more than 2,200 families consisting of about 10,000 IDPs had been resettled, Goel said.

To further this momentum, approximately 7,000 houses have been sanctioned under the Special PMAY-G (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin) for the reconstruction of fully damaged houses, and these units are currently in various stages of completion. The government has so far released about Rs 124 crore for the resettlement of IDPs at various locations. As on Thursday (January 29), about 3,700 families consisting of about 16,500 IDPs have been successfully resettled.

Meanwhile, hundreds of violence-hit IDPs on January 12 staged a protest rally in Imphal, demanding a positive response from Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on their resettlement.

Backed by the COCOMI, the IDPs organised the rally and demanded that displaced families be allowed to return to their original places with adequate security arrangements. A team led by COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba held a meeting with Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel and later met the Governor, after which the agitators dispersed.

A Lok Bhavan official had said the COCOMI-IDPs joint delegation called on the Governor at Lok Bhavan, Imphal, where they shared broad concerns related to the situation of displaced people and raised various issues requiring attention.

The state government has established over 300 relief camps across the Imphal Valley and hilly regions to provide shelter to over 60,000 men, women and children displaced since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Rs 124 crore released is a good step, but the article says only 3,700 families resettled so far. The target is 10,000 families by March 2026. The pace needs to pick up drastically. Committees meeting is fine, but action on ground is what matters.
K
Kavya N
My heart goes out to all the displaced people, especially the children. A whole generation's education and childhood is being disrupted. The focus on holistic rehabilitation with education and livelihood is crucial. Hope they can go home soon.
A
Aman W
The protest rally shows the people's frustration. Announcements and committees are one thing, but people want to return to their *original* homes with real security. That's the core demand. The government must address that fear first.
D
David E
As an outsider following this, it's a complex humanitarian crisis. Using PMAY-G for housing is a smart move. The scale is massive - 40,000 people. Hope the international community is also providing support behind the scenes.
S
Suresh O
While the plan sounds good on paper, the track record gives little confidence. Over 300 relief camps still running after so many months is a national shame. We need less talk and more visible, tangible results for our brothers and sisters in Manipur.

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