Guwahati: The Union Home Ministry has cleared financial assistance of Rs 424.36 crore for the upkeep and functioning of relief camps established by the Manipur government to house people displaced by ethnic unrest in the state, officials reported.
In a related decision, the ministry has also approved Rs 523 crore for supporting the rehabilitation process of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The information came through an RTI response filed by Congress leader Hareshwar Goshwami from Manipur, as per the state Home Department.
Official records indicate that 58,881 residents had to leave their homes between May 3, 2023 and March 30, 2026 due to the ongoing violence.
The RTI disclosure further mentioned that 174 relief camps were operating as of March 10, 2026, while 3,000 prefabricated housing units were built by the Manipur Police Housing Corporation Ltd to provide temporary accommodation.
Data shared by authorities also shows that 217 deaths have been formally recorded in connection with the conflict, based on compensation provided to families. In addition, the unrest has resulted in severe destruction of property, with 7,894 houses completely demolished and 2,646 partially damaged since the violence began.
The crisis began on May 3, 2023 following tensions during a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised in the hill districts in opposition to the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The Meitei community accounts for about 53 percent of Manipur’s population and is mainly concentrated in the Imphal Valley, which includes five to six districts.
Tribal groups such as Nagas and Kukis, making up around 40 percent of the population, are largely based in the eleven hill districts.
After violence broke out, the state administration set up over 300 temporary shelters across both valley and hill regions, accommodating nearly 60,000 displaced individuals.
As conditions gradually improved in some areas, a number of families have since returned to their native villages.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has reiterated that rehabilitation of displaced families remains a key focus area for the government.
He also stated that central assistance has been extended for building permanent houses, compensating lost belongings and movable assets, and restoring partially damaged structures.
For the 2026–27 fiscal year, the state government has earmarked Rs 734 crore to speed up ongoing rehabilitation and resettlement work for those affected by the conflict.