Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma that the Central government will supply rice worth ₹10 crore to the state for the relief and sustenance of nearly 40,000 refugees from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Manipur currently sheltered in the Northeastern state, according to officials on Saturday, 13 June.

What Was Discussed at the Meeting

Lalduhoma met Shah at his office in Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi, on Friday evening as part of official engagements in the national capital. During the meeting, the Chief Minister apprised the Home Minister of the scale of the refugee crisis and the financial strain it has placed on the state government.

An official statement issued by the Mizoram Chief Minister's Office (CMO) confirmed that Shah, in response, committed to providing the rice consignment to support the state's ongoing humanitarian efforts.

The Refugee Crisis in Mizoram

More than 30,000 Myanmar nationals — including women and children — have entered Mizoram in multiple phases following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021. Most belong to communities that share ethnic, cultural, and familial ties with the people of Mizoram and are currently residing across several districts with support from local communities, civil society organisations, and the state government.

Additionally, around 2,365 Bangladeshi refugees are sheltered across four districts of Mizoram after fleeing the Chittagong Hill Tracts region amid ethnic unrest and security concerns. The state has also provided refuge to several thousand internally displaced tribals — predominantly from the Kuki-Zo, Hmar, and related communities — who fled ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in neighbouring Manipur since May 2023.

Mizoram's geographic position amplifies the challenge: Myanmar's Chin State shares a 510-km unfenced mountainous border with Mizoram, while the state's Mamit, Lunglei, and Lawngtlai districts share a 318-km unfenced border with Bangladesh, making cross-border movement difficult to contain during periods of regional instability.

SRE Scheme Gap and PM-DeVINE Push

Lalduhoma also raised a long-standing grievance: Mizoram has been excluded from the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme, which provides financial assistance to states dealing with insurgency-related law and order issues. Because Mizoram has remained largely peaceful, it does not qualify — even as it bears the burden of cross-border crime, drug trafficking, and cybercrime threats.

The Chief Minister formally requested that the SRE Scheme's scope be extended to cover Mizoram's specific security challenges. Shah, in turn, advised the state government to submit more project proposals under the PM-DeVINE (Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region) scheme and assured his support in advancing those proposals.

What Comes Next

Officials noted that despite constrained resources, the Mizoram government has continued to provide shelter, food, healthcare, and other humanitarian assistance to displaced populations on compassionate grounds. The ₹10 crore rice commitment from the Centre, while a relief measure, is expected to be the first step in a broader push for sustained Central support. The state government is likely to formalise additional project proposals under PM-DeVINE in the coming weeks.