Manipur to hold exhibition of products made by inmates of relief camps

The products that will be displayed and sold include candles, washing powder, dish washing solutions, incense sticks, pickles, handicrafts etc.

The Manipur State Rural Livelihood Mission (MSRLM) is planning to organise an exhibition cum mela to sell the products manufactured in the relief camps in the ethnic violence-hit state.

In this picture taken on July 25, 2023, people gather in a relief camp for displaced Meitei community, in Moirang. Deadly ethnic violence in India's troubled Manipur state divided communities but each side tells similar stories -- loved ones murdered, homes torched and harsh new lives in camps. At least 120 people have been killed since May in armed clashes between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki in the northeastern state. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) / To go with 'India-Unrest-manipur-Displaced', FOCUS by Aishwarya KUMAR (AFP)

“We are planning to organise an exhibition of the products manufactured in the relief camps in the first or second week of November this year,” MSRLM director N Bandana Devi said.

The products that will be displayed and sold include candles, washing powder, dish washing solutions, incense sticks, pickles, handicrafts etc.

MSRLM was established by the rural development and panchayati raj department to implement the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in the state in 2014 so as to enhance the economic opportunities and empowerment of the rural poor.

On October 21, Bandana Devi along with three officials called on Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan and apprised of the conditions of women in the relief camps.

She informed the governor that around 3,500 members of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been affected by the conflict that broke out on May 3 and they have been staying in various relief camps in different districts.

She said MSRLM, with a mission to extend support to the livelihood of the people, conducted training programmes to the relief camps and around 2,000 persons have been trained with different manufacturing skills.

Various training programmes have been conducted for internally displaced people (IDPs) according to their capacities. She added that MSRLM is in touch with Public Sector Units (PSUs) and arrangements are going on to train youths in different service sectors like retail hospitality, etc.

Governor Uikey told the MSRLM team that all possible efforts should be made to extend support to the IDPs in the camps and the focus should be on their means of livelihood.

It may be mentioned that Manipur had been witnessing violence since the first week of May, in which around 175 people were killed and nearly 50,000 people were displaced, besides burning many villages and localities.