Songpi, July 30, 2026: The Internally Displaced Persons Welfare Committee, Churachandpur (IDPWCC) has strongly condemned the Government of Manipur’s decision to discontinue Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) ration assistance to Kuki Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), calling it unjust, premature and in violation of the Manipur High Court’s directions in PIL No. 9 of 2026.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Committee said more than three years after the outbreak of violence in the state, thousands of Kuki IDPs continue to live in temporary shelters and insecure arrangements, having lost homes, livelihoods, property and access to normal social and economic life.
Withdrawing essential food assistance in these circumstances places an additional and avoidable burden on those who remain among the most vulnerable sections of society, the statement said.
The IDPWCC cited the Government’s own official status report, Various Housing Scheme Components for IDPs dated 21 May 2026, to prove that rehabilitation and resettlement remain far from complete.
According to the Government’s own official figures:
3,000 prefabricated temporary shelters continue to house displaced Kuki families, confirming thousands remain dependent on temporary accommodation.
Under the Permanent Housing Support Scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 51.95 crore has been released for 885 beneficiaries. However, only 231 houses have been completed, while 556 houses remain under construction, leaving hundreds of Kuki families without permanent housing.
Financial assistance for fully burnt and partially damaged houses continues to be released in instalments, proving reconstruction of damaged homes remains unfinished.
Under the PMAY-G Housing Support Scheme, 12,000 houses have been sanctioned, including an additional 5,000 houses for 2026-27, but construction and financial disbursement are still ongoing.
These are not allegations – they are the Government’s own official figures which unequivocally establish that the rehabilitation process remains incomplete. Consequently, there can be no justification for withdrawing essential ration assistance while thousands of families continue to depend on government support for their survival, the Committee stated.
The body said the Government cannot reasonably declare the relief phase to be over while housing remains incomplete, reconstruction assistance is still being released, thousands continue to occupy temporary shelters, and displaced Kuki families remain unable to rebuild their lives with dignity and security.
The Committee also expressed serious concern over the continuing delay in extending relief and rehabilitation to non-camped Kuki Internally Displaced Persons despite repeated representations.
It noted that in PIL No. 9 of 2026, the High Court of Manipur recognised these concerns and directed competent authorities to examine representations submitted on behalf of non-camped IDPs from a pan-Manipur perspective, provide a detailed response regarding the measures taken, and dispose of the matter within the prescribed timeframe.
Although the Court did not adjudicate upon the merits of the claims, its directions reaffirm the Government’s responsibility to address the grievances of all Internally Displaced Persons fairly, transparently, and without discrimination.
The continued delay in implementing comprehensive relief and rehabilitation measures, coupled with the withdrawal of food assistance before rehabilitation is complete, undermines the very objective of protecting displaced persons and restoring them to a life of dignity, the IDPWCC said.
Demands:
The IDP Welfare Committee, Churachandpur, therefore called upon the Government of Manipur to immediately fulfil its constitutional and humanitarian responsibilities by:
- Immediately restoring and continuing DBT ration assistance for all eligible Kuki Internally Displaced Persons until they are fully rehabilitated, permanently resettled, and capable of sustaining themselves.
- Expediting the release of all pending relief assistance, housing support, reconstruction compensation, and rehabilitation benefits without further delay.
- Strictly implementing the directions of the High Court of Manipur in PIL No. 9 of 2026 by ensuring timely, transparent, and meaningful consideration of the grievances of non-camped Kuki Internally Displaced Persons.
- Adopting a transparent, accountable, and non-discriminatory rehabilitation policy that guarantees equal access to relief and rehabilitation benefits for every Kuki Internally Displaced Person across Manipur, irrespective of whether they reside inside or outside notified relief camps.
The right to food, dignity, and rehabilitation cannot be made contingent upon administrative convenience. Relief assistance is not an act of charity – it is a legal, constitutional, and humanitarian obligation to citizens whose lives have been devastated by circumstances beyond their control. No displaced Kuki family should be denied essential food support while permanent houses remain unfinished, reconstruction is incomplete, livelihoods remain disrupted, and safe and dignified resettlement has yet to become a reality, the release stated.
The Government of Manipur must act with urgency, fairness, transparency, and compassion. It must restore DBT ration assistance without delay, accelerate the rehabilitation process, and ensure that no Kuki Internally Displaced Person is abandoned before rehabilitation is genuinely complete.
The Committee concluded with the remark, Justice delayed is rehabilitation denied. The dignity and survival of thousands of displaced Kuki citizens demand immediate and meaningful action – not premature withdrawal of essential relief.
