Imphal: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee has expressed large-scale mismanagement and diversion of public money on the utilisation of relief funds meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), displaced during Meitei-Kuki conflict, in Manipur’s Moirang Assembly Constituency.
Documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveal glaring inconsistencies in expenditure, sparking demands for a judicial probe.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Hareshwar Goswami alleged that the IDP relief programme had been turned into a “Money-making scheme” under the guise of humanitarian assistance.
He presented RTI documents showing questionable expenses incurred during May 3, 2023 and August 25, 2025.
According to official records, the number of relief camps in Moirang fell from 20 to 14 over the past two years, even as the number of displaced persons rose from 3,905 to 4,542.
Despite this deepening humanitarian crisis, crores of Rupees have been spent, raising serious questions about fund utilisation.
Authorities reported an expenditure of Rs 23.21 crore over 27 months an average of Rs 51,121 per IDP. The spending includes Rs 7.14 crore on toothbrushes, toothpaste, fermented fish, vegetables, firewood, and gas refills, while Rs 2.10 crore was spent on bananas, biscuits, eggs, Maggi and noodles. A further Rs 1.20 crore went towards pillows, and Rs 11 lakh was shown as expenses for televisions and DTH sets at 20 centres.
“These figures are absurd and indefensible. Spending Rs 2 crore on bananas, biscuits, Maggi, and eggs alone shows definite misappropriation,” Goswami said.
A December 2023 RTI application filed by local resident Yumkhaibam Shyam was denied full disclosure, with authorities arguing that revealing details of fund utilisation could “fuel division between Hill and Valley communities”.
However, an RTI filed in August 2025 by Heisnam Sushil Singh yielded detailed sanction and expenditure data, raising questions about why information was initially withheld and whether transparency was deliberately avoided until the funds had already been exhausted.
Adding fuel to the debate are photographs showing the Moirang MLA personally distributing relief materials to displaced families. Opposition leaders allege that supplies funded by the government are being passed off as personal contributions to build political capital.
Goswami demanded that the MLA either furnish proof that the items were from his personal resources or face charges of misrepresentation.
The Congress has labelled the controversy the “Relief Camp Scam” and is demanding a judicial probe into the matter.
“There is prima facie evidence that huge sums were misused. A judicial probe must be initiated at the earliest,” Goswami said.
As Manipur continues to grapple with its humanitarian crisis, where thousands of displaced persons remain in camps amid uncertainty, the revelations have raised uncomfortable questions.
