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Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday said the state government has been working to facilitate the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their respective homes. The Government has held several rounds of talks with representatives of various civil society organisations (CSOs) to bridge the trust deficit that has emerged due to the crisis.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while distributing benefits worth Rs 2.19 crore to eligible labour card holders, particularly IDPs, under the Special Scheme for Financial Assistance for Education of Children Staying in Relief Camps and other schemes of the Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (MBOCWWB), as part of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan at the City Convention Centre in Imphal. Khemchand Singh said the government has held several rounds of talks with representatives of various civil society organisations to bridge the trust deficit that has emerged due to the crisis. He said staying in relief camps was not comfortable and that being unable to return to ones own home was deeply disheartening. He added that the crisis had caused suffering to innocent people in both the valley and the hills. The Chief Minister said the government was making efforts to meet the needs of IDPs through various government schemes and basic assistance, noting that many had fled their homes with nothing. He informed that nearly 2,531 IDPs were being provided assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer and urged those who were yet to register to do so with the concerned authorities to receive the benefits. Regarding Mission Pathshala, Khemchand Singh said the state government was making efforts to ensure that benefits reach IDP students. He also said frequent meetings were being held with IDP representatives to address their grievances. During the programme, 2,531 beneficiaries received around Rs 1.42 crore under the Special Scheme for Financial Assistance for the Education of Children Staying in Relief Camps. In addition, eight beneficiaries received around Rs 19 lakh under the Immediate Assistance in Case of Accident (Accidental Death) scheme, while 194 beneficiaries received around Rs 58.20 lakh under the Natural Death Benefit scheme. The Chief Minister also highlighted the resumption of bus services on the Imphal-Guwahati route via Dimapur, saying it had reduced the burden on players travelling outside the state for tournaments and students studying outside Manipur, particularly as airfares are expensive. He said nearly 450 to 500 passengers were using the public transport service every day. Rajya Sabha MP Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi said extending assistance and support to needy people in the state remained the governments foremost priority. She also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of empowering weaker sections of society and lauded Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh for his decision to travel by road to Jiribam district, prioritising the welfare of the people of Manipur. Tourism and Art & Culture Minister Khuraijam Loken Singh, MLAs, Chief Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur, Chairperson of MBOCWWB and other officials were present at the programme. (ANI)
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