Centre releases Rs 4.7 crore to Mizoram for Bru repatriation

Aizawl: The Centre has released Rs 4.7 crore to the Mizoram government as initial expenses for repatriation of over 3,000 Bru families, who were still lodged in the six relief camps in North Tripura district.

State additional secretary for home Lalbiakzama said the state government has prepared Road Map-IV for resumption of the Bru repatriation for which proposal for expenditure amounting to over Rs 68 crore was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"We are still having Rupees seven crore earlier released by the Centre for the repatriation process which was being used for resettlement and rehabilitation of those Bru families numbering over 200 who returned to Mizoram on their own will," he said.

Earlier, state Home Minister R Lalzirliana informed the state assembly that the Road Map-IV, prepared by the Mizoram government was approved by the Supreme Court which asked the Centre to speed up the repatriation process.

Lalzirliana said the meeting convened on January 30 last by the Ministry of Home Affairs between the Centre and the state governments of Mizoram and Tripura decided that those, who refuse to return to Mizoram, should be regarded as permanent residents of Tripura after the expiry of six months.

"According to the census conducted by the Bru Coordination Committee on August 30, 2010 in the six relief camps, which was submitted to the state government, there were 29,625 people comprising 5,481 families in the relief camps," he said.

He, however, added that there were 11,014 Bru names in the state voters' lists enlisted as those remaining in the relief camps.