Aizawl: During the ongoing assembly session on Monday, Mizoram’s Home Minister, K. Sapdanga, revealed that there are currently 41,355 displaced persons residing in the state. He provided a detailed breakdown of the population, highlighting that 33,505 refugees are from Myanmar, 2,633 internally displaced persons from Manipur, and 2,217 refugees from Bangladesh.
Sapdanga further discussed ongoing efforts to streamline data collection of displaced persons, including the implementation of biometric data collection, which is currently under discussion with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The state government had suggested changes to the proposed portal for biometric data collection, but Sapdanga pointed out that due to the lack of a response from the central authorities, the process has not yet commenced.
The Home Minister acknowledged the challenges of border security, noting that while the state is actively guarding its borders, there are areas where refugees can easily cross, which means the actual number of refugees may be higher than reported.
“We are constantly monitoring the situation, and while many of the refugees have fled war-torn regions, some have caused disruptions in local communities. We are exploring measures to ensure the safety and security of both refugees and the local population,” Sapdanga stated.
He further informed the assembly that the state government has extended support to refugees, with help provided through District Commissioners (DCs). In addition, a high-level committee has been formed to address the issues of indigenous displaced people.
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