Imphal: Manipur Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Singh announced on Friday that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) sheltering in various relief camps set up by the government and voluntary organisations across the state have begun returning to their homes in a phased manner.
Addressing the media in Imphal, PK Singh said the central and state leadership held extensive discussions and decided to initiate the safe return of the displaced.
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He said the government has planned the return in three phases, July, October, and December, to ensure their safe and gradual reintegration into their communities.
Singh confirmed that the first batch of IDPs has already returned home this month, and the government will shut down the relief camps by December.
He also revealed that the IDP population has dropped from 62,000 to 57,000, as several people from Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts have already gone back to their homes.
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For those from Churachandpur and Moreh who cannot return immediately, the government has arranged pre-fabricated housing.
The Chief Secretary further added that the violence, which began on May 3, 2023, destroyed around 8,000 homes. The government is providing Rs 1.3 lakh per family to help them rebuild.
He also said the authorities are offering additional assistance to families whose homes, though still standing, have remained uninhabited for more than two years, to support their repairs and resettlement.
To aid the return to normal life, Singh said the government has deployed security forces to enable members of both communities to resume farming activities, even in close-contact areas.
Farmers from both sides are now sharing water resources under tight security, which he described as a hopeful sign of reconciliation and a boost for the upcoming paddy harvest season.