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Manipur Hosts Act East Policy Conference as CM Meets Amit Shah on Peace

Rayburn College in Manipur hosted a two-day international conference examining the Act East Policy from grassroots perspectives in Northeast India. Academics and experts called for policy recalibration to better address local dynamics and improve lives. In a separate political development, Manipur's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to discuss peace and rehabilitation. Shah assured the central government's full support for resettling Internally Displaced Persons in the violence-affected state.

Key Points: Act East Policy Conference in Manipur, CM Meets Amit Shah

  • Conference on Act East Policy's decade
  • Focus on grassroots NE perspectives
  • CM discussed Manipur peace with Amit Shah
  • Centre assured support for IDP rehabilitation
3 min read

Manipur: Rayburn College hosts two day International conference on 'A Decade of Act East Policy'

International conference on Act East Policy held in Manipur. Separately, CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss peace and rehabilitation.

"HM conveyed his firm assurance that the Union Government will extend every possible assistance - Yumnam Khemchand Singh"

Churachandpur, March 6

A two-day international conference under the theme 'A Decade of Act East Policy: Grassroot Perspective from North East India' was held on March 5-6, at Rayburn College in Churachandpur, Manipur.

The event was organised by Rayburn College (Autonomous) and the Indo-Myanmar Borderland Institute, in collaboration with the Indian Council of World Affairs.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Avinash Paliwal, Reader in International Relations at the Department of Politics & International Relations, SOAS, University of London.

The conference featured a distinguished panel of plenary speakers, including Sabyasachi Dutta, Co-founder and Executive Director of Asian Confluence; Professor Kishalay Bhattacharjee, Dean of the Jindal School of Journalism and Communication and an award-winning author; Zomuana, Director of New Imaginations; and Dr. Fr. C.P. Anto, Principal of the Northeast Institute of Social Science and Research and a member of the Mizoram State Planning Board.

The panel also included Dr. Thongkholal Haokip, Assistant Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University; Professor Samrat Sinha of the Jindal Global Law School; and Professor Priyanca Mathur, Head of the Centre for Research in Social Sciences and Education at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University).

During the sessions, Professor Kishalay Bhattacharjee argued that the policy framework requires urgent calibration and redesign, with a stronger emphasis on local and regional dynamics to ensure it genuinely improves the lives of the people in the North East.

Dr. Samuel G. Ngaihte, Registrar of Rayburn College, highlighted the importance of such platforms in bringing academic discourse to the grassroots level.

In a separate development, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho, on February 22, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the progress of the peace process and rehabilitation in the violence-hit state.

The Manipur CM wrote, "Had the privilege to call on Hon'ble Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, today in New Delhi, accompanied by Hon'ble Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and L Dikho. We had a detailed and constructive discussion on key issues concerning Manipur, including measures for peace, stability, rehabilitation and progress."

During the discussion, Amit Shah assured them of the Centre's support for the rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Yumnam Khemchand said on X.

"HM conveyed his firm assurance that the Union Government will extend every possible assistance to ensure the early resettlement and rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). On behalf of the people of Manipur, I express my sincere gratitude to HM for his continued support, guidance, and commitment towards the welfare of our State," the X post read.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good to see the focus on grassroots perspective. Professor Bhattacharjee is right - policies made in Delhi often fail to account for local realities in the North East. Hope the recommendations from this conference actually reach the policymakers and are implemented.
A
Avinash G
While conferences are good, the article also mentions the CM's meeting with Amit Shah ji. That is the real news. The central government's support for rehabilitating IDPs is crucial for lasting peace in Manipur. Academic talks are fine, but on-ground action and security are what matter most to the people suffering there.
S
Sneha F
It's heartening to see Manipur in the news for something constructive like an international conference, and not just conflict. Rayburn College is doing great work. The Act East Policy can bring so much development to the region if local voices are truly heard and made partners in progress.
K
Karthik V
With respect to the organizers, I have to ask: how many local Manipuri youth or community leaders were on this "distinguished panel"? The article lists many professors from Delhi and other states. A grassroots perspective needs grassroots speakers from the villages of Manipur, not just academics studying them.
M
Meera T
The integration of the North East with Southeast Asia is vital for India's future. Conferences like this help build the intellectual framework. But it must be followed by investment in infrastructure, education, and job creation in Manipur. Peace and development must go hand in hand. 🤝

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