IMPHAL: In a bid to provide relief to families affected by the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, the government has disbursed ex-gratia payments of Rs 10 lakhs each to the families of 1014 indigenous individuals who tragically lost their lives.
Revealing this information during a session of the state assembly on Monday, Chief Minister N Biren Singh addressed a supplementary question posed by Congress MLA Th Lokeshwor, shedding light on the extensive efforts undertaken to provide financial assistance to the affected families.
Despite the disbursement to a significant number of families, there remain 107 cases of unclaimed ex-gratia as of present.
Singh attributed this delay to the lack of proper documentation, including Aadhaar cards or electoral cards, by the next of kin of the deceased individuals.
The financial assistance, he stressed, was provided following rigorous official procedures and the identification of deceased individuals involved in the ongoing violence.
However, efforts to complete the process for the remaining 107 individuals are ongoing.
As the violence entered its tenth month, the death toll climbed to 221 individuals, including 12 security personnel and 209 civilians, with two children among the deceased.
Additionally, approximately 35 individuals from conflicting groups—the Kukis and Meiteis—are reported missing in Manipur.
Earlier in November 2023, the Supreme Court-appointed panel faced challenges as 38 families refused to accept the government’s compensation.
Seeking directions from the court to address this hurdle, the panel, led by former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal, aimed to ensure that families accept the ex-gratia payments.
While the district administration endeavours to persuade the families, the panel sought court directives to prohibit civil society organisations from interfering with or obstructing the compensation process, highlighting the complexity of the situation.
