The Manipur Cabinet has approved INR 10 lakh one-time humanitarian assistance each for the next of kin of 49 persons who remain missing since the 2023 violence.
IMPHAL — The Manipur Cabinet has approved a proposal of the State Home department to provide a one-time special humanitarian assistance of INR 10 lakh each to the next of kin of 49 persons who have remained missing since the outbreak of violence in the state on May 3, 2023.
Government spokespersons and MLAs Dr. Th Radheshyam and Dr. Sapam Ranjan Singh announced the decision during a press briefing in Imphal on Thursday evening.
The 49 persons remain untraced despite sustained search efforts. As per law, a missing person is presumed dead only after seven years. However, in these cases, documents such as death certificates and post-mortem reports, which are required under the central compensation scheme, are not available.
The total expenditure of INR 4.90 crore will be borne by the state government.
The Cabinet said the families of the missing persons had suffered hardships comparable to those of families of victims who died in the violence and were provided INR 10 lakh each.
During the recently concluded Assembly session, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, replying to a question raised by ruling BJP MLA Dr. Sapam Ranjan Singh, had informed the House that 306 people had been killed and 49 remained missing in connection with the violence as of August 31, 2026.
He had also stated that 34 people who were earlier reported missing had subsequently been found dead.
The violence has displaced more than 60,000 people, many of whom continue to live in relief camps and other locations.
The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, also approved a Finance department proposal to constitute the 5th Manipur State Finance Commission for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31.
The commission will comprise a chairperson, members with experience in public affairs and other relevant fields, and a secretary.
The Cabinet also approved an enhancement of pensions under the Manipur Working Journalists' Pension Rules, 1996.
The monthly pension for retired journalists will be increased from INR 8,000 to Rs 10,000, while the family pension for families of deceased journalists will rise from INR 5,000 to INR 7,000.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal to enhance ex-gratia compensation for Army and Central Armed Police Force personnel killed or injured in extremist violence or related actions while operating in Manipur.
Under the revised proposal, the ex-gratia rates will be brought on par with those applicable to state police personnel: INR 10 lakh in case of death, INR 2 lakh for permanent disability, INR 1 lakh for grievous injury and INR 20,000 for simple injury.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, Chief Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur, senior administrative officials and other officers. Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen attended the meeting through video conferencing.
Later, sharing photographs of the meeting on X, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh said the Cabinet had deliberated on enhancement of the monthly pension for retired journalists and family pension under the Manipur Working Journalists' Pension Scheme, as well as a one-time relaxation to allow defaulting subscribers to retain their membership in the interest of working journalists, besides other matters concerning public welfare.