Manipur government establishes sub-committee for displaced persons
What's the story
The Manipur government has formed a cabinet sub-committee to manage the rehabilitation and resettlement of individuals displaced by ongoing ethnic violence in the state.
This decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, under Rule 13 of the Rules of Business of the Manipur Government.
The sub-committee, led by Public Works Department (PWD) Minister K Govindas Singh, will report directly to the chief minister.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic violence since May 2023 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organized in the hill districts to protest the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The Meiteis—who make up 53% of the population—are largely limited to the Imphal Valley. In comparison, tribal-dominated hill areas reportedly cover 90% of Manipur.
Migration from Bangladesh and Myanmar has compounded the problem in Imphal.
This has driven Meiteis to demand ST status to have access to tribals' lands
Committee details
Sub-Committee members and responsibilities outlined
Other members of the subcommittee include Relief and Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai, Health Minister Dr. Sapam Ranjan Singh, and Transport Minister Khashim Vashum.
IAS officer Gyanprakash Huirem has been appointed as the member secretary.
The committee's duties include identifying the grievances of internally displaced persons (IDPs), supervising their resettlement measures, and overseeing the identification of land for temporary relocation.
Crisis impact
Violence in Jiribam district displaces thousands
The ongoing crisis, which began in May last year, has impacted at least 61,000 individuals, including over 1,700 in Jiribam district, which witnessed violence recently.
At least 70 houses, two police outposts, and a forest office were torched by suspected militants on June 7 in Jiribam district.
This incident led to the displacement of nearly 2,000 people from various communities, including Meiteis and Kukis.
Government actions
Additional measures and criticism of state's response
In addition to the sub-committee, the cabinet has instructed deputy commissioners to assess flood damage within a week.
It approved ₹10,000 per flood-affected family as immediate relief and decided to conduct elections in September.
More than 1.88 lakh people were impacted and over 24,000 dwellings were damaged, largely in Imphal Valley, in floods following severe rains triggered by Cyclone Remal in May.