Imphal: Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh told the state Assembly on Monday that a fresh survey is underway to assess the livelihoods of farmers affected by the ongoing ethnic violence, following directions from the Central government.
The Chief Minister was responding to a motion raised by opposition Congress MLA K. Ranjit Singh during Zero Hour. He said the Centre had already allocated around Rs 40 crore as compensation for crop losses for the 2023–24 financial year.
However, when the state government submitted a proposal seeking Rs 88 crore for 2024–25, the Centre directed it to conduct a fresh survey before approving the assistance.
The ongoing ethnic violence has affected 11,967.4 hectares of agricultural land in Manipur. It has also caused a foodgrain shortfall of 27,269 metric tons and disrupted the livelihoods of more than 9,100 farmers.
The worst-affected areas include the foothills and inter-district border regions of Kangpokpi, Imphal East, Imphal West, Churachandpur, Ukhrul and Bishnupur.
K. Ranjit Singh raised the issue after the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Farmers’ Wing raised concerns in local and social media on Monday.
Meanwhile, COCOMI Farmers’ Wing co-convenor Konthoujam Thoiba told reporters at Lamphelpat that the Assembly had not yet discussed the agricultural crisis. He warned that the group could intensify its agitation if legislators from both the ruling and opposition parties failed to address the farmers’ grievances during the ongoing session.
According to the organisation, farmers in peripheral valley areas have been unable to cultivate their fields since May 3, 2023. The land has remained uncultivated for consecutive agricultural seasons, causing severe financial hardship for affected families.
“Farming is not just about food consumption; paddy income funds our children’s education and vital household expenses,” Thoiba said, describing the land as the “lifeblood” of the community. “Losing agricultural land is tantamount to losing our livelihood.”
The state government provided compensation for uncultivated land in 2023. However, the Farmers’ Wing alleged that there were major gaps in its implementation. It claimed that displaced farmers from Ekou and Yenkhoman in Imphal East were left out of the compensation.
Compensation for 2024 and 2025 has also not been paid, according to the Farmers’ Wing.
The farmers had earlier postponed a statewide protest in support of the public movement seeking implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The COCOMI Farmers’ Wing has urged elected representatives to pass an immediate Assembly resolution to clear all pending crop loss compensation. It has also called for security measures to ensure farmers can safely access their fields.