Imphal, Jan 15 : The Manipur government has undertaken a Rs 523 crore rehabilitation package for around 60,000 violence-hit Internally Displaced People (IDPs), who have been living in relief camps since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023, officials said here on Thursday.

A senior Home Department official said that the government has initiated phased resettlement under the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Package of Rs 523 crore, as announced in the Manipur budget 2025-26.

As Manipur is under the Presidentâ??s Rule since February 13 last year, the Lok Sabha on August 7 last year passed the Manipur Budget for 2025--26, authorising an amount of Rs 30,969,44 (Rs 35,103.90 crore presented in March, 2025).

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget under Article 356.

The official said that under the first phase those families would be resettle whose houses have been partially damaged and under the second phase resettlement of families provided housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) (Special Package) within their respective districts.

In the third phase, resettlement of families requiring inter-district relocation between Valley and Hill districts, involving enhanced coordination, infrastructure development and security arrangements.

In a letter addressed to representatives of IDPs and the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the Meitei community, Special Secretary (Home) A Subhash Singh said the state government reiterates that the rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs remains the highest humanitarian priority.

â??It is clarified that resettlement is necessarily contingent upon multiple critical factors such as security situation, site readiness, land availability, fund flow, climatic conditions and livelihood feasibility. Accordingly, the process is being implemented in a phased, dynamic and pragmatic manner rather than as a rigid, one-time, deadline-driven exercise,â?? the letter said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of violence-hit IDP on January 12 staged a protest rally in Imphal, demanding a positive response from Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on their resettlement.

Backed by the COCOMI, the IDPs organised the rally and demanded that displaced families be allowed to return to their original places with adequate security arrangements.

A team led by COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba held a meeting with Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel and later met the Governor after which the agitators dispersed.

A Lok Bhavan official had said the COCOMI-IDPs joint delegation called on the Governor at Lok Bhavan, Imphal, where they shared broad concerns related to the situation of displaced people and raised various issues requiring attention.

â??Discussions also touched upon matters linked to arrangements in certain areas adjoining the Valley and Hill regions,â?? the official had said. He had said the Governor listened to the delegation and noted that steps related to resettlement and rehabilitation are already underway.

â??Governor Bhalla reiterated that efforts are being made to facilitate the safe and gradual return of IDPs,â?? the Lok Bhavan official added.

The state government has established over 300 relief camps across the Imphal Valley and hilly regions to provide shelter to over 60,000 men, women and children displaced since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.

/IANS