GUWAHATI: Centre has approved the construction of 5,000 houses for the rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in ethnic violence-hit Manipur under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna – Gramin (PMAY–G).
The approval followed by Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh’s meeting with Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on Monday. Deputy Chief Ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho were also present during the meeting.
The Manipur Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in a statement said Chouhan warmly received the three Manipuri leaders and assured all help in their bid to bring peace and normalcy in the state.
Earlier this month, the Manipur government submitted a proposal seeking a special project under PMAY-G for the construction of 5,000 houses for IDPs affected by the ethnic violence. Acting on the proposal, the rural development ministry also approved a special window under the Awaas+ 2024 household survey to capture details of eligible affected households.
The state government has been allowed to continue the registration of eligible beneficiaries under the special PMAY-G project. However, the Union ministry directed that beneficiaries must be identified strictly in accordance with PMAY-G guidelines, and that details of eligible households must be identified and uploaded through the Awaas+ 2024 mobile application.
The houses will be constructed in line with the provisions of the Framework for Implementation (FFI) of PMAY-G.
The Centre has also permitted the state government to sanction houses for eligible beneficiaries under the special project who had earlier received one or more installments under PMAY-G, but whose houses were destroyed during the ethnic violence.
The ethnic violence, which erupted on May 3, 2023, had left over 260 people dead and an estimated 60,000 others displaced. A large majority of the displaced people are still lodged in relief camps.