MHA extends deadline for resettling displaced Mizoram Brus in Tripura

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the timeline for rehabilitation of displaced Brus of Mizoram in Tripura after reviewing the progress of resettlement in Delhi, said  Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha September 21.

''The main issue discussed with union Home Minister was regarding the settlement of the Bru in Tripura and every detail was presented before Shah,'' said Saha while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the first annual state conference of the Tripura Newspapers Society.

''The deadline for the settlement of the Bru people and as per the request of the Tripura government has been further extended and is hoping that cent percent of them shall be settled here,'' he added.

Notably, out of the 6,959 identified Bru families consisting of some 37000 individuals, who as per the agreement signed on January 16, 2020, shall have to be settled at 12 spots across Tripura, and to date, some 3,696 families have been able to resettle while construction of houses for 2407 families have been completed till August.

The union government had declared Rs 700 crores rehabilitation package for the Bru displaced people of Mizoram in Tripura, under which each family for construction of the house was supposed to get Rs 1.5 lakh in three installments beside a free land plot of 30’X50’ square feet, fixed Rs 4 lakh, Rs 5000 per month and free ration for two years.

These families were also to be provided a permanent residence certificate, AADHAR card, and MGNREGA card besides benefits of all central and state government schemes.

Though the resettlement process started on April 31, 2021, due to the pandemic, it was stopped. However, again in April this year, the Bru migrant had urged the central government to expedite the process.

The settlement is taking place in phases and initial the deadline for completion of the process was nine months after the signing of the agreement but it is a long process identifying the families which are going to get the benefits besides identifying locations and procuring necessary permission and other official works.

Apart from Union Home Minister and Tripura Chief Minister other officials such as Union Home Secretary Ajoy Kumar Bhalla, and Tripura’s Chief Secretary JK Sinha were present.