'Govt extending all assistance to IDPs'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 05 2024:
In case of a death among internally displaced people, the family is provided an assistance of Rs 41,000 for performing last rites, said N Biren Singh in the State Assembly today.
The Rs 41,000 include Rs 11,000 towards cremation and Rs 30,000 towards religious and customary rituals.
The Chief Minister said this responding to a query raised by Sugnu AC MLA K Ranjit.
MLA K Ranjit had cited a report published by a daily in Manipur which claimed that an internally displaced family staying in a relief camp in Bishnupur district had not been provided the assistance for the last rites.
Ranjit said the report claims that the rituals were held with money contributed by people.
Asking the Government of the steps that have been taken up for enhancing healthcare of the displaced people, MLA K Ranjit cited cases of deaths that have occurred in relief camps.
He cited the hanging of one Premkumar of Tuibong at Kwakta relief camp, the death of 88-year-old Khundrakpam Kumudini of Laikhong Maning Leikai at Yambem Girls' Hostel camp at Andro, and an attempted suicide at a relief camp at Moirang recently.
The MLA continued that a daily newspaper has compared the relief camps to "Baitarani Turel"--a river that connects the world with the afterlife.
The State Government is responsible for the people staying in relief camps and it should provide the necessary assistance promptly, K Ranjit said.
Responding to the query, Chief Minister N Biren said the family of the deceased, 73-year-old Aheibam Ibo-tombi, staying at Moirang Khunou relief camp was given the assistance timely.
The media report claiming otherwise was unfortunate, he added.
The Chief Minister continued that the State Government had promptly placed a mechanism to provide the assistance immediately.
The family of the deceased at Moirang Khunou relief camp was provided the assistance on the same day the elderly person passed away, he said.
On the day the elderly man died, the family was advised to submit an application to the district Deputy Commissioner, and on the same day, they were provided an assistance of Rs 11,000 for cremation, he said.
While there has already been an instruction from the Government to provide an additional assistance of Rs 30,000 towards Shradh rituals, families of deceased internally displaced persons who have not yet availed the assistance may get it through the Deputy Commissioner's concerned, N Biren said.
He further refuted the report and slammed the daily saying it usually published highly exaggerated reports amid the ongoing crisis.
Hinting that the daily concerned can't be trusted, the CM said, amid the unrest, the paper has been publishing the sound of police deploying search light as "firing bomb" .
He accused the paper of publishing highly exaggerated reports and stoking unrest, and advised against it.
Nobody wants people to stay in relief camps and nobody wants to stay in one.
People have been forced to stay in relief camps due to the unrest, and the Government has been taking up all necessary steps for welfare of the inmates, N Biren said.
He said more than 6,000 internally displaced people have been provided skill training under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), and 91 of them have landed jobs outside Manipur.
The Government is constantly looking after the needs of the IDPs.
Doctors and nurses are visiting them twice a week for medical checkup, and they are being provided medicines free of cost, he added.
In case, the patients require medicines that are not readily available with the doctors in the relief camp, they may report it to the Deputy Commissioner concerned for getting the medicines free of cost, N Biren said.
To alleviate the inconveniences patient parties (IDPs) face in JNIMS and RIMS, a provision has been made for providing meals for persons at the hospitals, he said.
He said the Government is working towards bringing a resolution to the crisis and allow displaced people to return to their original places.
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