As many as 10,675 illegal immigrants were detected in the state during the last five years, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh during the sixth session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Friday.
The illegal immigrants are from Myanmar, Bangladesh, Norway, China and Nepal, said N Biren Singh, responding to a query moved by MLA Surjakumar Okram.
Of the total 10,675 illegal immigrants, 85 were deported in the last five years, he said, adding that 143 illegal immigrants are detained in detention centers at present.
A sum of Rs 85,55,761 has been incurred as expenditures in maintenance of the detainees in the detention centres, he said.
In district wise, illegal immigrants are distributed at Imphal West-11, Imphal East-1, Bishnupur-1, Thoubal-1, Kakching-6, Churachandpur-150, Chandel-1895, Tengnoupal-2406, Ukhrul-3, Kangpokpi-2 and Kamjong- 6199, he said.
To check the influx of illegal immigrants, a committee was constituted to conduct verification drive for identification of illegal immigrants in Churachandpur, Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong and Pherzawl district, under supervision of Home department, government of Manipur as per order issued on March 24, 2023, he said.
Before the ongoing violence broke out, the committee detected a total of 2,480 illegal Myanmar immigrants, he recalled.
The central government has announced that the entire Indo-Myanmar border will be fenced completely. Border fencing work has already started and given importance, CM Biren stated.
A total length of 9.214 km of border fencing between border pillar 79 to 81 has been completed, he said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved border fencing of 120 km in Manipur out of which DPR has been submitted to MHA for 80 kms. Sanction has been accorded and physical work has commenced for a stretch of 21.86km, he said.
Further, MHA has intimated the state government to finalise the stretches for construction of the fence for the remaining portion of IMB to cover the entire length of Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur.
The District police are working round the clock to check the influx of illegal immigrants by conducting mobile frisking and checking in vulnerable areas, Biren informed the House.
Process going on to establish six police stations and 34 police outposts at the border areas of the state. The state government has appointed civil and police nodal officers in five border districts to check and monitor illegal immigrants in the border district, he added.
The chief ministeer also assured, “Members of the House can approach me directly or through phone call or message to facilitate the rebuilding of houses for IDPs who are suitable for resettlement. The amount will be released the next day.”
The government is set to sanction the 50 per cent amount to kickstart the rebuilding process, he said, adding so far 723 families of IDPs have received the aid; the chief minister was replying to a supplementary of a starred question raised by opposition MLA O Surjakumar.
Regarding the dwindling support from the government on medical expenses for the IDPs from total free to later relying on health cards as pointed out by the opposition MLA, CM Biren assured to look after the matter to ensure free health care for the IDPs in all government hospitals.
Surjakumar also enquired about the low number of only 391 beneficiaries of the “One Family, One Livelihood Mission” for the IDPs, stating that there are as many as around 10,000 to 12,000 families of IDPs.
Here, the chief minister replied that the maximum of the IPDs has yet applied for the scheme.
However, the government has planned to initiate a drive to facilitate the IDPs who are in need of the scheme, he added.
The Opposition MLA further suggested amending the “One Family, One Livelihood Mission” from loans to grants, stating that those IDPs who are unable to repay might face the consequences of NPA, leading to no further access to loans in the future.
In this regard, the chief minister replied that the government will ensure that none face the consequences of NPA and stated that the scheme was given in the form of loans to ensure them the habit of repayment.
