Aizawl: Champhai district bordering Myanmar, which shelters the most number of refugees in the state, started free distribution of rice to those from Myanmar and internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Manipur on Thursday.
An official in the Champhai deputy commissioner's office said the allotment for the distribution of foodgrains has already been made and the district administration has begun the exercise. Champhai alone hosts 13,986 refugees from Myanmar and 404 displaced from Manipur for which 4,533 quintals of rice have been allotted by the state home department.
Southern Mizoram's Lawngtlai district, which shares an international border with both Myanmar and Bangladesh, has long been providing rice to the refugees and the displaced. Altogether 5,922 refugees from Myanmar, 2,014 from Bangladesh and 84 displaced from Manipur are taking shelter in Lawngtlai. All 2,014 from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts have found refuge in Lawngtlai.
Lawngtlai district is allotted 2,526 quintals of rice for humanitarian assistance.
Lawngtlai is followed by Aizawl district, which is home to 7,803 refugees, of whom 3,411 are from Myanmar, and 4,392 IDPs at present. About 2,458 quintals of rice have been allocated for Lawngtlai.
Officials in Aizawl said the process of distribution of rice to the refugees and IDPs is yet to begin in the district. "There are some wealthy refugees and IDPs taking shelter in the district who do not need free rice. So we are taking steps to identify who all are really in need of free foodgrains," an official said.
Siaha district, adjoining Lawngtlai district and bordering Myanmar, hosts 5,953 refugees from Myanmar but not a single refugee or IDP from Bangladesh and Manipur respectively. Deputy commissioner VL Hruaizela told TOI that the distribution of free rice to the refugees had already commenced in the district from Nov 20.
The newly established Khawzawl district located in the northeastern part of the state hosts the least number of refugees — 128 from Myanmar, and 19 IDPs. Forty-six quintals of rice have been earmarked for the district.
State food, civil supplies & consumer affairs (FCS&CA) department completed the procurement of foodgrains meant for over 40,000 refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh as well as the internally displaced from Manipur from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) on Nov 18, a senior department official said.
FCS&CA director Saizikpuii said a total of 1,379.30 metric tonnes of rice have been lifted and consignments dispatched to all the 11 district headquarters.
She said lifting of the foodgrains commenced as soon as the release order for procurement was obtained from the FCI and was undertaken on a war-footing to meet the deadline of 60 days set by the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution.
According to the data sent to MHA by the state govt earlier, Mizoram was hosting 43,788 refugees and IDPs. The number of refugees from Myanmar was 33,764, while the number of Bangladesh refugees stood at 2,014 and IDPs from Manipur at 8,010. The number keeps changing, the officials said.
The MHA will make the payment of Rs 5 crore to the ministry of food and public distribution, which is being utilised for the purchase of over 1,379 metric tonnes of rice to be distributed to the refugees and IDPs free of costs as humanitarian assistance from the Centre.