Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen on Tuesday distributed livelihood assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and various welfare benefits to other beneficiaries in Kangpokpi district under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, while urging village chiefs and civil society organisations (CSOs) to help ensure the last-mile delivery of government schemes to every deserving household, including those in remote hill areas.
Addressing the observance of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, 2026, and Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra at the conference hall of the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council (SHADC) in Kangpokpi, Kipgen emphasised the need for stronger coordination between the administration and grassroots institutions to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out of government welfare programmes.
Highlighting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said the initiative aimed to take government services and welfare benefits to the last mile, particularly in remote and far-flung areas where geographical constraints often pose challenges to access.
The Deputy Chief Minister appealed to village chiefs and CSOs to actively assist the government in identifying deserving beneficiaries and facilitating their access to various schemes.
She stressed that the effective implementation of welfare programmes depended not only on government initiatives but also on the active participation of local leaders and community organisations, who are often best placed to identify households in need of assistance.
Kipgen called for collective efforts to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach every eligible person, irrespective of the remoteness of their village, and that no deserving family is excluded due to a lack of awareness or access to administrative channels.
As part of the programme, the Deputy Chief Minister distributed livelihood assistance under the Tribal Affairs Department to IDPs and other beneficiaries for income-generating activities, including piggery, poultry, vegetable cultivation, ginger and turmeric farming, and banana cultivation.
The assistance is aimed at supporting livelihood opportunities and strengthening the economic resilience of beneficiaries, particularly those affected by the ongoing conflict in Manipur.
She also distributed several other welfare benefits under various departments during the programme.
These included health cards under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY); benefits under the PM-KUSUM scheme and PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana through the Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL); and first-time bank linkage support to Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Manipur State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MSRLM).
Other assistance included sponsorship under Mission Vatsalya through the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Kangpokpi; sanction letters for piggery assistance and loans under the MUDRA scheme; knapsack sprayers from the Agriculture Department; and uniforms, textbooks and stationery through the Zonal Education Office, Kangpokpi.
The Deputy Chief Minister also distributed aids and assistive devices, including wheelchairs and hearing aids, to eligible beneficiaries through the District Social Welfare Office, Kangpokpi.
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the government for extending livelihood assistance and other welfare benefits, saying the support would help address their needs and improve their livelihood prospects.
Earlier, Kipgen participated in a tree plantation drive organised by the Kangpokpi Forest Division in collaboration with the District Administration at Brigadier M. Thomas Ground in Kangpokpi town as part of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
The Deputy Chief Minister planted a sapling alongside Joel G. Haokip, MCS, Joint Secretary of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Tribal Affairs and Hills departments; James Doujapao Haokip, MCS, Chief Executive Officer of SHADC, Kangpokpi; and district-level officials, including those from the Forest Department.
Self-Help Groups also set up stalls showcasing their activities and products, which Kipgen and other officials inspected before the formal programme commenced.
The programme was attended by Deputy Commissioner Hemant Kumar, IAS; Joel G. Haokip, MCS, Joint Secretary of the RD&PR and TA&Hills departments; James Doujapao Haokip, MCS, CEO of SHADC, Kangpokpi; Paotinsei Kipgen, MCS, SDO, Saitu; Samuel Misao, MCS, SDO, Lhungtin; and officials from various departments.
The programme brought together livelihood support, welfare distribution and environmental initiatives under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, with a focus on strengthening grassroots participation and improving access to government schemes across Kangpokpi district.