9 June 2026 – The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved Rs 5 crore in humanitarian assistance for the distribution of free rice to refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently taking shelter in Mizoram, officials said.
The assistance will benefit more than 31,300 refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh, along with over 7,000 IDPs from Manipur, who have been displaced due to ongoing conflict and instability in the region.
Officials from Mizoram’s Home Department confirmed that this marks the second phase of central government support, following a similar initiative implemented in 2024.
Under the programme, the state Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department has procured 1,291.3 metric tonnes of rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
District administrations across Mizoram’s 11 districts have been instructed to lift their allocated rice quotas and ensure timely distribution to eligible beneficiaries. Authorities said the distribution process will begin shortly and must be completed by June 30.
In Lawngtlai district, Deputy Commissioner Donny Lalruatsanga confirmed that 2,850 quintals of rice have been allocated, with distribution set to begin on 8 June. The district currently hosts 6,328 Myanmar refugees, 1,353 Bangladeshi refugees, and several IDPs from Manipur.
Champhai district, which accommodates the largest number of Myanmar refugees at 12,083, has been allocated 4,460 quintals of rice.
Other allocations include Aizawl district (2,794 quintals) and Siaha district (1,118 quintals), while remaining quantities will be distributed to other districts based on refugee and IDP populations.
Officials noted that Lawngtlai hosts the second-largest population of Myanmar refugees and the highest number of Bangladeshi refugees in the state.
Andrew H. Vanlaldika, Additional Secretary of the Home Department and Chairperson of the State-Level Task Force on Displaced Persons, said the humanitarian proposal was approved by the central government in April last year. However, implementation was delayed due to coordination gaps between central ministries.
He added that the initiative aims to strengthen food security and support district administrations in ongoing relief efforts for displaced communities. – Reporting by Ben
