Unwilling Bru refugees should stay in Tripura: Mizoram CM

Arrangements should be made to ensure that Bru refugees who refuse to return to Mizoram from six relief camps in neighbouring Tripura remain in that state, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said today.
"In the last road map for the repatriation of Brus, only 6,647 Brus returned to Mizoram from Tripura till November last," he said at the Plenary Session of North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong.
Adding that those who remained in Tripura should be allowed to live there by respecting their wishes, Lal Thanhawla said that some Bru families refused to leave the Tripura relief camps despite repeated efforts by the Centre and governments of Mizoram and Tripura, for their repatriation.

The chief minister said that projects under NEC were facing setbacks due to reduction of funds flow from Centre and the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS).
He suggested timely release of funds from Centre and the NEC and also doing away with state matching shares as Mizoram has been facing acute fiscal crisis.
The 63rd NEC Plenary Session was chaired by Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Dr Jitendra Prasad and attended by Governors and Chief Ministers of the region.