The North Eastern Council (NEC), a key regional planning body for the eight northeastern states of India, has retracted its draft ‘Vision Plan 2047’ after it mistakenly stated that the Kuki community had migrated from the “Chin State of Manipur.” This error was highlighted by Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in a Facebook post on Sunday.
The Chief Minister explained that the mistake was found in Chapter 3 of the draft document, titled ‘Art, Culture, Natural Heritage.’ The chapter erroneously referred to the Kukis as being from the “Chin State of Manipur,” a reference that led to immediate concerns. The Chin State actually lies in Myanmar, sharing an international border with both Manipur and Mizoram. The reference incorrectly placed the Chin State within Manipur, prompting the Chief Minister to raise the issue with Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). Following this, the NEC withdrew the draft document.
Chapter 3 of the Vision Plan also discussed the migration of various ethnic tribes in the northeastern region, noting that this area is home to over 200 ethnic and tribal communities. The 664-page NEC ‘Vision Plan 2047’ outlined long-term goals for the development of the northeastern states, including Sikkim, as India approaches its 100th year of independence in 2047.
The Kuki-Zomi-Chin-Hmar communities, who were inaccurately described in the draft, are among the many tribal groups residing in Manipur, as well as in other northeastern states and neighboring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh. These communities share ethnic, cultural, and traditional similarities with the Mizos of Mizoram. In Manipur, over 35% of the population of 2.72 million are tribals, comprising 34 different communities, both tribal and non-tribal.
According to the 2011 Census, tribals make up 27.29% of the population in the eight northeastern states, which together have a total population of 45.48 million.
The North Eastern Council, established under the North Eastern Council Act of 1971, has been operational since November 7, 1972, with its headquarters in Shillong, Meghalaya. The Council serves as the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the northeastern region, which includes the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. The Union Home Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of the NEC, while the DoNER Minister serves as the ex-officio Vice-Chairman.
