Manipur: Union minister inspects aid delivery in strife-torn Churachandpur district

A senior central government minister on November 11 reviewed assistance reaching families displaced by ethnic violence in Manipur's hill district, as officials distributed benefits under multiple welfare programmes to affected communities.

Ajay Tamta, Union Minister of State for road transport and highways, visited Churachandpur to assess how government schemes are being implemented for internally displaced persons who continue to live in relief camps more than 18 months after violence erupted across the state.

During his visit to the district headquarters, Tamta met displaced residents and scheme beneficiaries alongside deputy commissioner Dharun Kumar S and district officials at the mini secretariat.

The government presented awards to five students from displaced families who achieved strong results in recent board examinations, signalling efforts to maintain educational continuity despite the disruption caused by the conflict.

Officials distributed benefits under several central programmes during the visit, including the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana health insurance.

Tamta also felicitated the winners of competitions organised for Jan Jatiya Gaurav Diwas 2025 and presented special awards to Lalthazam, chief executive officer of the Autonomous District Council Committee, Seiminthang, additional deputy commissioner, and two fellows from the Aspirational Blocks Programme for their work on local development.

The minister reviewed progress across various central and state schemes and interacted with officials from multiple departments and aspirational blocks. He acknowledged their efforts and promised continued central support to address implementation challenges on the ground.

The visit comes as Manipur continues to grapple with ethnic tensions between the Meitei community in the valley and Kuki-Zo tribes in the hills, which have displaced tens of thousands since May 2023.