Manipur Violence Victims Staying in Relief Camps to Get Rs 1000 Assistance: CM Biren Singh

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Tuesday that his government will provide a one-off aid of Rs 1,000 to those who are in relief camps due to race riots in the state.

This financial assistance will be provided so that the inmates can buy clothes and personal belongings, Singh said at a relief camp in the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Imphal East district, where 106 women and children are staying.

About 50,000 people are now staying in more than 300 relief camps across the state since the violence began early last month.

“The government has decided to give 1,000 rupees to those staying in the relief camps. Financial assistance will be given through the concerned district authorities,” the chief minister told reporters.

Part of the displaced people received assistance during the day.

Singh also visited the Lamhilpat relief camp in Imphal West district and interacted with the inmates.

The state government is committed to assisting those affected and providing for the basic needs of the victims. Providing financial assistance as part of the ongoing measures to provide relief and rehabilitation to the displaced,” he later tweeted.

Singh told reporters that what happened in the state was “very unfortunate”, and the tireless efforts of various groups including women’s organizations along with the state apparatus helped to improve the situation a lot.

Singh said that the center is monitoring the situation in the state around the clock and state agencies are working to provide support to all.

“About 40,000 security personnel have been deployed in vulnerable areas where militants can attack,” he said.

Singh said that during his visit to New Delhi on Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured him that the center would look into the militant activities prevalent in the hill areas.

The chief minister said he had told Shah that the state government was working hard to ensure that there was no unrest in the areas of the valley.

“The government is working hard to provide stability for the displaced in the aftermath of the violence,” he said.

Singh said last week that his government would build between 3,000 and 4,000 prefabricated houses to house people who had to flee their homes during the ongoing violence in the northeastern state.

“Construction has already begun to provide settlement for displaced individuals from Imphal East including Ikou district near Sajiwa prison. Efforts are on to get it inaugurated within 10 weeks and thus relocate the displaced people there.

For the displaced from Churachandpur district, a temporary settlement will be built at Kwakta in Bishnupur district. “When the situation improves, all the displaced will again return to their places,” the prime minister said.

More than 100 people have been killed in the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on 3 May after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was organized in the hill regions to protest the Mitte community’s claim to Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 percent of the population of Manipur and most of them live in the Imphal Valley. Tribes – Nagas and Kukis – make up another 40 percent of the population and reside in the hill regions.

(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)