New Delhi, June 13: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga that the central government will provide rice worth ₹10 crore to assist refugees residing in the state. Officials reported this on Saturday.
During a meeting held on Friday evening in New Delhi, Chief Minister Zoramthanga informed the Home Minister that approximately 40,000 refugees from Manipur, Bangladesh, and Myanmar are currently living in Mizoram.
In response, Amit Shah stated that the central government would supply rice valued at ₹10 crore for the food and relief efforts for these refugees.
On an official visit to Delhi, Chief Minister Zoramthanga met with Amit Shah at the Home Minister’s office in Krity Bhawan to discuss several key issues related to Mizoram’s development and public welfare.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister highlighted that Mizoram is not receiving assistance under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, unlike other northeastern states, as the region has remained largely free from insurgency and law-and-order issues for a long time.
He urged the central government to extend the benefits of the SRE scheme to Mizoram to combat drug trafficking, cross-border crimes, and rising cybercrimes.
Home Minister Amit Shah advised the Chief Minister to submit more project proposals under the Prime Minister‘s North East Development Initiative (PM-DevINE) scheme and assured full support in advancing these projects.
Zoramthanga also mentioned the humanitarian challenges arising from the influx of refugees from neighboring areas. He stated that despite limited resources, the state government is providing shelter, food, healthcare, and other essential assistance to the refugees, but additional support from the central government is necessary.
Notably, since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, over 30,000 Myanmar nationals have sought refuge in Mizoram. Additionally, around 2,365 refugees from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh are residing in four districts of the state.
Mizoram has also sheltered thousands of tribal people displaced by violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur since May 2023. Despite limited resources, the state government, with the help of local communities and social organizations, is providing humanitarian aid to these displaced individuals.
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