Manipur conflict has cost State ₹1,200 crore in GST revenue, says Chief Minister

Manipur has lost at least ₹1,200 crore in its share of goods and services tax (GST) revenue between 2023 and 2026 owing to the prolonged ethnic conflict in the State, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said at a function in Imphal on Wednesday (September 16, 2026).

The Chief Minister was speaking at the 52nd Foundation Day celebration of the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal. He said highway blockades and shutdowns had added to the revenue loss the State has incurred over more than three years.

"We lost more than ₹1,200 crore in GST due to the prolonged conflict. The collateral impact of blockades and shutdowns has affected the State significantly," Mr. Singh said. He appealed to all civil society organisations in Manipur to help create an environment conducive to economic recovery and development.

The ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and the Meitei communities erupted on May 3, 2023. In February, it took another turn, pitting the Kuki-Zo community against the Nagas. The violence has displaced large numbers of people, disrupted livelihoods and interrupted trade and transport across several districts.

According to Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas, the conflict has claimed 306 lives since May 2023, while 49 people remain missing.

Addressing concerns raised by journalists, the Chief Minister said many of them could not contribute to the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Journalist Pension Scheme during the conflict. "For those who could not pay their contributions, a one-time relaxation will be allowed to reactivate their pension accounts," he added.

Separately, unidentified gunmen attacked Chawangkining, a Naga village in Kangpokpi district, late on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) night. There were no reports of any casualties during a six-hour exchange of fire between the armed assailants and personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force.

District officials said intermittent firing began around 10.30 p.m. "The security forces prevented the militants from entering the village, but the attackers set two wooden houses on the outskirts of the village on fire," an official said.

The attack is believed to be in retaliation for the killing of two Kuki women at Leisangphai village in the adjoining Tamenglong district, which is Naga-majority. Kukis dominate Kangpokpi district.

The Chief Minister's remarks point to the wider financial strain on a State that has had to direct resources towards relief, rehabilitation and security arrangements during the conflict. Restoring unhindered movement on national highways is widely seen as essential to reviving trade and rebuilding the State's revenues.