The Union government has approved the construction of 5,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) for the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from ethnic violence in Manipur. The approval followed a meeting in New Delhi between the Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and the Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in which the state sought central assistance for long term shelter and resettlement. Deputy chief ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho accompanied the chief minister.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the Union minister warmly received the delegation and assured support to restore peace and normality in the affected areas. The rural development ministry acted on a state proposal for a special PMAY-G project to build 5,000 houses and approved a special window under the Awaas+ 2024 household survey to register and verify eligible households. The state has been permitted to continue registration of beneficiaries under the special project.

The Union ministry directed that identification of beneficiaries must follow PMAY-G guidelines and that details of eligible households be uploaded through the Awaas+ 2024 mobile application to ensure transparency and proper targeting. Houses will be built in accordance with the Framework for Implementation of PMAY-G and the special project will include households captured through the Awaas+ exercise. Administrative oversight will be required to validate records and coordinate reconstruction in relief areas.

The Centre has allowed sanction of houses for eligible beneficiaries who had earlier received one or more instalments under PMAY-G but subsequently lost their dwellings during the ethnic violence. The violence that began on May three, 2023 left over 260 people dead and an estimated 60,000 displaced, with a large majority still living in relief camps as state and central agencies pursue rehabilitation.