Centre yet to give funds for relief to Manipur people taking shelter in Mizoram: Officials

Aizawl/Imphal, July 31 (IANS) Despite repeated requests, the Central government yet to provide any funds to Mizoram to provide relief to over 12,600 people, who took shelter in the state after being displaced from Manipur, where ethnic violence still rages unabated, state officials said on Monday.

Mizoram Home Department officials said that the state government has sought Rs 10 crore for people who took shelter in different districts of Mizoram after being displaced from Manipur.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga earlier wrote letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide funds to take care the 12,600 men, women and children, who are now sheltered in relief camps, church complexes, rented accomodation, and relatives’ houses.

A Mizoram government team led by state Tourism Minister Robert Romawia Royte met Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on June 16 in New Delhi seeking to expedite release of fund from the Home Ministry. While Home Secretary reportedly gave them assurance to release funds, no financial help has come from the centre yet.

The displaced 12,600 Kuki-Chin-Zomi tribals have the ethnic and cultural similarity with the Mizos.

The Home Department official said that the state government still hopefull that the Union government would provide funds for these displaced and violence affected people. The state administration has urged the legislators, government employees, bankers and others to give donations for the relief of the sheltered people.

Of the 12,610 people from Manipur, 4,440 took shelter in Kolasib district, 4,265 in Aizawl and 2,951 in Saitual and remaining eight districts -- Champhai, Mamit, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Serchhip, Khawzawl, and Hnahthial districts.

There are 38 relief camps, set up by the state government and local authorities in Aizawl, Kolasib, and Saitual. The state government, various NGOs, including Young Mizo Association, churches, villagers and individuals are providing food and other basic items to these hapless people.

Mizoram shares 95 km border with Manipur. The Christian dominated mountainous state also has been providing shelter to 35,000 refugees from Myanmar and 1,000 refugees from Chittagong hill tracts of southeast Bangladesh.

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