Imphal, Feb 24 (NationPress) The Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has given the green light for the construction of 5,000 new homes aimed at rehabilitating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have been impacted by ethnic violence in Manipur, as per official statements made on Tuesday.

An official from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in Imphal revealed that this approval was granted for the upcoming financial year 2025-26 during a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday night.

During this discussion, the Chief Minister was accompanied by the state’s two Deputy Chief Ministers—Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho. Chouhan received the trio warmly and expressed his commitment to provide all necessary support to restore peace and normalcy in the region.

Earlier this month, the Manipur government had put forth a proposal to launch a special initiative under PMAY-G for building these 5,000 homes due to the ongoing ethnic violence.

In response, the Union Rural Development Ministry approved a dedicated window within the Awas Plus 2024 household survey to gather information on eligible families affected by this crisis.

The state government has also been authorized to proceed with the registration of eligible beneficiaries for this special PMAY-G project, according to the official.

However, the Union Rural Development Ministry has instructed the state to ensure that beneficiaries are identified strictly according to PMAY-G guidelines.

It is essential that the identification and uploading of eligible beneficiaries’ details be completed using the Awas Plus 2024 mobile application. The construction of these homes will adhere to the provisions outlined in the Framework for Implementation (FFI) of PMAY-G.

Additionally, the state government is permitted to allocate houses for beneficiaries under this special project who had received one or more installments previously under PMAY-G, but whose homes were destroyed during the ethnic unrest that erupted in May 2023. Chief Minister Khemchand Singh has been in New Delhi since February 21, marking his first official visit to the capital since taking office as Manipur’s new BJP Chief Minister on February 4.

On Monday, the Chief Minister met with the Union Minister for the Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who assured him that his ministry would collaborate with other Union ministries to tackle critical issues in Manipur. Khemchand Singh also consulted with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who promised her full support to help rejuvenate the state’s economy.

Moreover, the Chief Minister engaged in talks with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who committed to offering comprehensive cooperation for all initiatives undertaken by the Manipur government.

Accompanied by the two Deputy Chief Ministers, the Manipur Chief Minister also had separate discussions with BJP National President Nitin Nabin and the party’s National General Secretary (Organisation) B. L. Santhosh, focusing on party matters relevant to Manipur.

Prior to this, on February 22, the Chief Minister, along with his two Deputy Chief Ministers, engaged in a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address various issues, including the rehabilitation of internally displaced individuals, as stated by officials.

The CMO official noted that the Home Minister discussed with the Manipur leadership the measures initiated by the new state government to dismantle barriers among different communities and foster peace and harmony throughout the state.