IDPs protest against government resettlement plan in Manipur

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Kangchup area in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Saturday denounced the Manipur government’s proposed resettlement plan with a financial aid of a mere Rs 75,000 per family.
Offered Rs 75,000 per family, the IDPs of Kangchup area were asked to repair their houses damaged during the violent conflict and to return to their respective homes by July 15, as per a government order issued on June 5 last.
The IDPs of the area erupted in protest against the proposed compensation of Rs 75,000 per family after they accessed their damaged houses which have been abandoned for the last more than two years with security protection.
The IDPs from Kangchup Kharang village who had fled their homes following an onslaught by militants visited their village after more than two years and inspected the remains of their houses, which are now guarded by security forces.
“For most of the houses, it would not be possible to repair with the mere Rs 75,000 per family which the government announced for the resettlement of IDPs. It is unacceptable and woefully inadequate to meet their needs, an IDP said.
Recently, the Manipur government announced its plan to shut down all relief camps, housing people displaced by the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis, by December, 2025.
While spelling out the details of a three-phase resettlement plan, state chief secretary PK Singh had said that the first phase would start by July, the current month.
The first phase involved resettlement of IDPs whose houses were not torched by providing security by July 15.
Accordingly, the state government took up the plan for resettlement of the IDPs from Kangchup Kharang, a Meitei village in the periphery of Imphal West district adjoining Kuki dominated Kangpokpi district.
The government, in a notification issued on June 5, 2025, offered Rs three lakh for rebuilding and Rs 75,000 per family for resettlement.
On behalf of the protesting IDPs, Ningthoujam Popilal, former president of the Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC), asked how a house can be constructed with just Rs three lakh.
Asserting that many families live together in one house with separate rooms, he said that the mere Rs 75,000 have to be shared among many families since they live in one house, according to the government’s resettlement plan.
The former MPYCC was skeptical if the state administration under President’s Rule took up the initiatives so that the government can claim in the Parliament session scheduled to start on July 21 that resettlement for IDPs has begun.
“The way the steps are being taken up on ground, it would be a big question if the initiatives is to genuinely address the grievances of IDPs,” he said.
Popilal also recalled an earlier order of the state home department issued on November 9, 2023, announcing a compensation package of Rs 10 lakh for fully burnt pucca houses, Rs seven lakh for semi-pucca houses, and Rs five lakh for kutcha houses.
“What is the motive behind drastically reducing the aid by the state administration under PR,”, he asked.
The former Congress youth leader further urged the government to treat the IDPs equally while claiming that only two IDP families from Phayeng and Kangchup Kharang received Rs 25,000 each against government announcement of Rs one lakh each to around 60,000 displaced families.