Manipur government is planning to shut down relief camps for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) by December.
Chief secretary P.K. Singh revealed the December deadline during an interaction with the media in Imphal on Friday.
He said the government has come up with “a three-phase plan” to resettle those affected in the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos, either at their original places or in temporary pre-fabricated houses set up by the government.
The plans have been formulated in consultation with the state government and with the Central government. Manipur is currently under President’s rule.
According to Singh, the number of the internally displaced people (IDP) have come down from 62,000 to around 57,000 now. Houses of around 7,000-8,000 IDPs were destroyed soon after the conflict erupted on May 3, 2023.
They were initially around 360 relief camps to house the IDPs who have been demanding resettlement owing to problems they are facing, from anxiety over education needs of their children to economic and mental distress.
“The first round (of IDPs) will go back by July, the second round by October and the third round by December... But the camps are planned to be shut by December. Things are improving,” Singh said.
The government has identified three category of IDPs – those whose houses have been destroyed; those who fled but their houses are intact but need repair and the third category who may not be able to return by December. The last category will be housed in pre-fabricated houses.
“We are building 1,000 more pre-fabricated houses for this (third) category,” Singh said.
The state government has planned to provide “₹1.3 lakh plus ₹1.7 lakh” to around 7,000-8,000 IDPs whose houses have been destroyed so that they can build their houses wherever they want.
The second category involves around 7,000 people whose houses have not been destroyed but over two years of neglect it has been rendered dilapidated.
“There will be also some kind of monetary help for the people, so they can go back and set up their houses and start living there,” Singh said.
The third category of IDPs are mostly from Moreh, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur.