“Peace is not simply the absence of conflict; it is a valuable public asset that gives governments the space to plan, institutions the capacity to govern effectively and communities the confidence to invest in their own future.”
One afternoon, while sitting with a friend in a restaurant, I spread the map before us and started tracing the roads with my finger. We looked closely at the area around New Tusom, Tusom Khullen, Tusom Christian Village, Chingai, Kharasom and Ukhrul town and then considered its wider connections towards Jessami and the frontier towards the Great “Somra” in Myanmar. We talked about the communities living in this part of the district, their farms, schools, community institutions, roads and local economic activities. New Tusom particularly caught my attention because of its agricultural economy, emerging educational infrastructure and its location close to the India-Myanmar frontier. The map also showed something important about the wider area. This part of Ukhrul has communities where ordinary civilian life continues and where people cultivate their fields, send their children to school, run local businesses and maintain their community institutions. I started wondering what could be achieved if this existing, sustainable peace was supported by a concentrated programme of sustainable development. Better roads could connect communities with markets and public services. Agriculture could be linked with processing and wider markets. Education and skills could create opportunities for young people. Healthcare, telecommunications and local enterprises could strengthen everyday life. Looking at the map that afternoon, the idea of developing this area as a pocket of sustainable development and stability took shape. The thought was simple: where peace already exists, development should have the opportunity to grow around it. That conversation over the map became the starting point for the idea developed in this article.
I am currently staying in Ukhrul and most of my recent work has naturally centred on the district. As a senior Academician, Public policy researcher, consultant & advisor, my access to other parts of Manipur is limited; so much of my research and writing has understandably focused on Ukhrul. Living here and travelling through the district has allowed me to observe its villages, roads, markets, institutions and everyday life more closely. I have had the opportunity to spend time in different parts. of the district and listen to people discuss their experiences and concerns. This has helped me appreciate the considerable potential of the region and the practical difficulties people face in reaching markets, education, healthcare and other essential services. For me, Ukhrul has therefore become a natural starting point for thinking about development in the hills and about how public policy can respond more effectively to the aspirations of local communities.
Manipur needs a development approach that recognises the geographical diversity of the State and responds to conditions at the village level. Large infrastructure projects remain important. The success of development ultimately becomes visible in ordinary places where families cultivate land, children attend school, young people search for employment and communities maintain their social institutions. Development planning therefore needs geographical precision. It needs to identify places where public investment can be concentrated, where institutions can coordinate their work and where communities can participate directly in shaping local economic opportunities.
This is where the idea of a “Peace Pocket” becomes relevant. I use the term as a policy proposition for a defined geographical area where civilian life is currently stable and where concentrated development can be planned around that existing stability. The purpose is to create a sustained cycle in which peaceful everyday life supports economic activity, improved infrastructure, education, healthcare, cultural confidence and stronger local institutions. The approach can begin with a carefully selected cluster of villages and expand through planned connectivity and economic linkages. Any such programme must remain conflict sensitive and follow a clear do-no-harm principle: investments should be transparent, inclusive and designed to avoid reinforcing existing social or resource tensions. Local communities, farmers, women, young people, village institutions, local entrepreneurs and community organisations, must remain at the centre. Their knowledge of land, livelihoods and social conditions is essential for effective planning. Safeguards against elite capture of processing units, tourism assets or scheme benefits, together with accessible village level grievance redressal mechanisms, will be essential to maintain trust.
In this framework, a “Peace Pocket” is conceptualised as a geographically identifiable stretch or region characterised by sustained civilian peace, social stability, continuity of everyday community life and the regular functioning of local institutions and public services. These conditions constitute an enabling environment for the spatial concentration and coordinated delivery of development interventions relating to infrastructure, livelihoods, education, healthcare, connectivity and local economic activity. The concept treats peace as a development asset and establishes a defined spatial unit for integrated planning, institutional coordination, public investment, community participation and outcome assessment. A development corridor refers to the network of transport infrastructure, markets, public services, production systems and economic linkages through which the peace pocket is connected with surrounding settlements and the wider district economy. Within this framework, the proposed peace pocket could encompass the wider geographical stretch around New Tusom, Tusom Khullen, Tusom Christian Village, Chingai and Kharasom, with Jessami and NH 202 forming the wider connectivity framework and Somra in Myanmar providing the associated frontier context.
New Tusom offers a particularly interesting starting point because it already possesses an identifiable economic base. Agriculture is deeply connected with the village economy and Parkia, locally known as yongchak, provides an example of an indigenous agricultural resource with substantial commercial potential.
In a 2022 press release issued by the New Tusom Village Development Council, its Chairman Graceson M. Vashum stated that around 200 of the village’s 400 households were engaged in intensive Parkia cultivation. He stated that the village had approximately 15,000 Parkia trees with around 10,000 harvested annually and estimated the annual turnover at about 2 crore. These figures were reported by “The Frontier Manipur” on 15 August 2022 in its report “Worm Attack on Parkia trees: New Tusom Expresses Gratitude”. They represent a local estimate provided by the Village Development Council rather than an audited government agricultural statistic.
The significance of these figures lies in the economic possibilities they indicate. A crop that already supports a substantial number of households can become the basis for a larger local value chain. Parkia can be connected with scientific cultivation, nursery development, disease management, collection centres, grading, packaging, preservation, processing and organised marketing. Farmer groups, women’s self-help groups and local entrepreneurs can participate at different stages of this chain. Training in food processing and enterprise management can create additional employment for young people. Recent commentary continues to affirm yongchak’s place as a seasonal delicacy and cultural staple in Manipuri cuisine, central to dishes such as eromba and singju while also noting ongoing pressures from diseases such as Verticillium wilt and environmental stress. These realities. make systematic disease management and resilient cultivation practices all the more necessary.
The same approach can be extended to other agricultural products grown in the area. A village level agricultural resource assessment could identify fruits, vegetables, spices, forest-based products, livestock and other locally available resources with commercial potential. Each product can then be examined according to production volume, seasonal availability, market demand, transportation requirements and possibilities for local processing. Such planning would give agriculture a stronger economic structure. Farmers would have better information about markets and prices. Young people could find opportunities in processing, packaging, transportation, digital marketing and small enterprises. Women could play a central role through self-help groups, producer groups and village based enterprises. Local institutions could help coordinate common facilities and ensure that economic opportunities remain accessible to village households.
Agriculture also points towards the importance of human capability. The long-term value of local economic resources depends on the knowledge, skills and educational opportunities available to the younger generation. Education therefore becomes an essential part of the proposed development pocket. Retaining young people in the region will require making local livelihoods and education. visibly competitive with opportunities elsewhere, so that out-migration is slowed and eventually reversed.
EMRS Tharang at New Tusom is emerging as an important educational institution in the area. The continuing development of its teaching and non-teaching infrastructure creates an opportunity to think about the relationship between education and local development. Schools frontier and hill areas can become centres where children receive quality education while communities gain access to skills, digital resources, career guidance and wider educational networks. In February 2026, Assam Rifles under Operation Sadbhavna distributed chairs with integrated writing bases and stationery at Eklavya Model Residential School, Tharang (New Tusom) and Tusom CV Upper Primary School. The distribution, attended by village elders, staff and students, was framed as support for classroom comfort, regular attendance and improved learning in these remote border villages. A further positive signal is the September 2026 tender for construction of a school building, teachers’ quarters and rainwater-harvesting structures at Oja Shankar Kane Vidyalaya in Kharasom (Chingai subdivision). The presence of educational institutions also creates secondary economic activity; demand for accommodation, transport, food and stationery while introducing young people to vocational training, entrepreneurship, agriculture technology and digital services.
Education creates human capability. Connectivity determines how that capability, agricultural production and local enterprise connect with the wider economy. Road development therefore becomes a central component of the proposed plan.
The improvement of the inter village circular road connecting New Tusom and Tusom Christian Village is an important example of public investment that can directly influence everyday life. Better roads reduce travel time, improve access to markets and make public services more accessible. They also make it easier for agricultural products to reach collection centres and larger markets. A positive signal in this direction is the July 2026 tender issued by the Manipur State Rural Road Development Agency for the construction and five-year maintenance of the road from Napet Pali to Kharasom via Lamlai.
The road network should therefore be planned as a hierarchy. Village roads should connect farms and settlements with collection points. Inter-village roads should connect these settlements with larger service centres. Wider district roads should connect the development area with markets and administrative centres. NH 202 provides the broader transport framework linking Ukhrul with Jessami and the wider road network. Jessami has an important place in this wider connectivity structure and should be understood as a major connectivity and market node for the New Tusom-centred pocket.
Recent experience on NH 202 itself underscores the need for careful planning and sustained maintenance. NHIDCL is actively widening and double-laning the Imphal-Ukhrul-Jessami highway, yet work proceeds in stages and has faced delays linked to terrain, weather and local factors. In April 2026, Chief Minister Shri. Yumnam Khemchand Singh reviewed progress with NHIDCL, officials while en route to Ukhrul and assured that ground-level challenges would be addressed. In July 2026 the Raphei Katamnao Long temporarily restricted heavy vehicles weighing over 10 tonnes on the Jessami-Ukhrul stretch to facilitate scheduled repairs. Landslides have stranded vehicles, and in August 2026 local watershed specialist Dr. Weyepe N. Mekrishu linked flash-flood impacts near Jessami in part to the indiscriminate dumping of excavated earth during highway construction, which increases sediment load in the Lanye River watershed. Every major infrastructure proposal must therefore include slope protection, proper drainage, a clear maintenance plan, responsible agency, annual budget and local monitoring. Village institutions can participate in reporting damaged roads, water systems and public facilities.
Road connectivity also creates demand for supporting infrastructure. Water supply, electricity, mobile connectivity, internet access, health sub-centres, public transport, storage facilities and community buildings all contribute to the quality of everyday life. In late September 2026, Ukhrul MLA Ram Muivah launched five advanced life-support ambulances and 500 solar street lights under an Airports Authority of India CSR initiative valued at approximately 2.20 crore. The ambulances are to be stationed at Talui Primary Health Centre, Kamjong District Hospital and Ukhrul District Hospital, while the solar lights are to be distributed across the 52 villages of the constituency with priority for remote areas. These investments directly strengthen emergency healthcare access and basic lighting infrastructure in the wider district.
These local priorities require a policy framework through which different development programmes can converge geographically. The Vibrant Villages Programme II provides a relevant national framework. The Government of India approved VVP II in April 2025 with an outlay of ₹6,839 crore through 2028-29 for 1,954 selected villages across 334 blocks in the relevant States and Union Territories. Manipur is among the States covered. Its priorities-livelihoods, connectivity, village infrastructure, healthcare, financial inclusion, skills, cooperatives, self-help groups, farmer producer organisations, tourism, culture, education and telecommunications; map closely onto the needs of the proposed pocket. Convergence of roads, education, agriculture, rural development, telecommunications, drinking water, power and tourism schemes within a common geographical plan will be essential.
Agriculture can become one of the principal engines of this development model. A small agricultural processing centre could be explored for products such as Parkia and other locally produced commodities. Cold storage, drying facilities, packaging units and small warehouses could reduce wastage and improve market access. Local youth can be trained in equipment operation, quality control, bookkeeping, digital marketing and logistics.
Women should occupy a central position in this economic transformation. Self-help groups can participate in food processing, horticulture, handicrafts, hospitality, traditional products and community-based tourism. Access to credit and financial literacy can help women move from small-scale production towards organised enterprises. Digital platforms can also enable local producers to reach customers beyond the immediate market.
Young people require particular attention. Skill centres could provide training in electrical work, construction, hospitality, agriculture technology, vehicle maintenance, digital services, accounting and entrepreneurship. Career guidance and links with colleges and training institutions elsewhere in Manipur could broaden opportunities. District level platforms such as the Tangkhul Naga Long Office-cum-Multicomplex and Livelihood Incubation Centre inaugurated in Ukhrul in 2025 can serve as useful nodes linking village level enterprises with wider support.
These economic and educational initiatives can be organised around specialised local roles. New Tusom could develop as an agricultural and educational node. Tusom Khullen and Tusom Christian Village could strengthen their roles in agriculture, village services and local enterprise. Chingai and Kharasom could be assessed as complementary areas within the wider development region, with particular attention to their agricultural resources, local enterprise, cultural assets and potential for community based economic activity. Kharasom also offers possibilities for developing its historical and ecological attractions as part of a wider cultural and tourism economy. Chingai, as an established administrative centre, could be examined for its potential to support public services, local commerce and economic activity across the surrounding settlements. Jessami could function as a wider connectivity and market node, linking the proposed development region with the NH 202 corridor and the broader economic network towards Ukhrul and beyond.
Economic development can also reinforce cultural confidence. The Tangkhul cultural landscape of Ukhrul possesses considerable depth in traditional knowledge, agriculture, crafts, music, festivals and community institutions. Development can support these traditions through cultural tourism, local craft markets, homestays, documentation projects and community museums, with local people remaining the principal custodians and beneficiaries. Such initiatives can create additional income opportunities for artisans, farmers, performers, cultural practitioners and young entrepreneurs while strengthening the visibility of local knowledge within the wider regional economy. Systematic documentation and intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge can further ensure that cultural resources remain living elements of community life and continue to contribute to the social and economic vitality of the region.
Tourism can be developed carefully around the character of the villages and their natural surroundings. A small network of community managed homestays, guided walks, agricultural experiences and cultural programmes could generate supplementary income, provided planning. respects local land institutions, cultural practices and environmental limits.
A development pocket should have reliable access to primary healthcare, maternal and child services, emergency referral systems, medicines and telemedicine facilities. Digital connectivity can allow remote villages to connect with doctors and specialists located elsewhere. The recent deployment of advanced life-support ambulances across the district provides a practical foundation. on which village level referral systems can be built.
Reliable mobile networks and broadband access can support education, banking, telemedicine, government services, e-commerce and communication, and can help farmers access weather information, market prices and agricultural advice. Reliable electricity supports households, schools, health facilities, small enterprises and agricultural processing; solar-based solutions can complement grid supply where conventional power remains difficult.
The geographical setting of the proposed development area also gives the programme a frontier dimension. Somra in Myanmar provides the international frontier context for the Tusom area. Any future development strategy should recognise the historical and geographical relationship between communities living on both sides of the border. A biometric checkpoint operated by Assam Rifles functions at Tusom for cross-border movement linked to the Somra side. Myanmar Tangkhul communities continue to maintain cultural and market ties, though road conditions and political instability on the Myanmar side constrain formal exchange. The September 2026 Ukhrul Declaration included a call for land ports, one of which was proposed at Tusom-Somra; this reflects wider district aspirations that any pocket level plan should remain aware of without adopting the full set of demands.
At the 18th National Level Meeting between Myanmar and India held in New Delhi in December 2012, the two sides discussed the opening of a fourth Border Liaison Office between Ukhrul and Somra. This historical discussion demonstrates that the geographical relationship has previously received attention within India-Myanmar institutional dialogue. There is no public indication that the office has become operational. Government records have also referred over the years to India’s development assistance in Myanmar’s frontier areas. The objective of any future engagement should remain practical connectivity, lawful economic exchange, community welfare and improved living standards, fully compliant with applicable laws and procedures.
The frontier setting makes environmental protection essential. The hills around Ukhrul are ecologically sensitive and the proposed development should protect the forests, water sources and agricultural land on which local communities depend. Road construction requires proper drainage, slope protection and careful disposal of excavated material. Agricultural expansion requires soil conservation and responsible water use, while forest protection requires active participation from village institutions and local communities. Tourism requires proper management of waste, construction and visitor pressure. The January 2026 feature “The Fading Green of Tusom Khullen” documents progressive deforestation in the area following years of commercial timber extraction, along with disappearing springs, rising local temperatures and declining biodiversity. Residents. describe a landscape that once had dense forests with large Uningthou and oak trees and retained water through the forest ecosystem. These observations point to practical priorities for the proposed development plan, including springshed management, careful disposal of excavated material from road works, community protection of forests and climate resilient agricultural practices. Every major road, agricultural, tourism and infrastructure project should therefore include proper assessment of its impact on water sources, forests, slopes and agricultural land so that development strengthens local livelihoods while protecting the natural resources on which these communities depend.
Land governance deserves similar attention. In a region where customary institutions remain important, development planning should involve village authorities from the beginning. Land acquisition, public infrastructure, commercial activity and tourism projects require transparent procedures and respect for applicable customary and statutory arrangements.
The programme proposed in this article could be organised through a five year “Ukhrul Integrated Peace and Frontier Development Programme, 2026-2031” The first year could focus on baseline surveys, village consultations, infrastructure mapping, agricultural assessments and identification of priority projects across New Tusom, Tusom Khullen, Tusom Christian Village and Kharasom, along with a closer assessment of the wider connectivity towards Jessami and the frontier connection. towards Somra in Myanmar. Updated household, production, water, power and health baselines will be essential, given that much of the available data still rests on the 2011 Census and local estimates such as the 2022 Parkia assessment. Years two and three could concentrate on roads, water, electricity, telecommunications, education, healthcare and agricultural infrastructure within the proposed development area. Years four and five could focus on enterprise development, tourism, market expansion, skills and evaluation, while exploring opportunities for stronger people to people, cultural and economic connections extending towards Somra in Myanmar. The larger aim would be to develop New Tusom and its surrounding villages into a well connected and economically active frontier area whose benefits extend towards the wider communities connected with this part of the region.
A small technical coordination cell could support the district administration in bringing different departments together through project mapping, funding convergence, monitoring, data collection and annual development reports. The cell could work with village institutions, academic institutions, civil society organisations and technical agencies. Independent or community-led social audits should form a regular part of the monitoring system.
Financing would need to come through convergence of Central and State schemes, district planning funds, rural development, agriculture and horticulture programmes, education, road projects, skill development initiatives and VVP II. Corporate social responsibility and philanthropic resources could definitely support selected educational, healthcare and community infrastructure projects where appropriate.
The programme should have measurable outcomes: reduction in travel time to markets and healthcare; increase in agricultural household income; number of local enterprises created; number of youth receiving skills training and remaining in the region; number of women participating in income generating groups; improvement in school infrastructure and enrolment (including at EMRS Tharang and the Kharasom school project); access to digital connectivity; increase in agricultural processing capacity, growth in local tourism activity; and indicators of environmental health such as spring discharge and tree-cover change. Community satisfaction should be measured through village-level consultations and periodic social audits.
New Tusom can serve as the demonstration node for this approach. Its agricultural base, educational infrastructure and location provide a useful combination for testing how different development interventions can work together. Lessons from the area could subsequently inform similar planning in other stable pockets of the hill districts of Manipur.
The broader idea is geographical in a practical sense. Development should follow the actual pattern of villages, roads, markets, institutions and livelihoods. A development pocket can provide concentrated attention; a development corridor can connect that pocket to larger economic systems. Together they can create a network through which investment produces wider benefits.
This approach places local communities at the centre. Farmers should have a direct role in agricultural planning. Women should participate in enterprise development. Young people should have access to skills and employment that encourage them to build their futures here. Village institutions should participate in infrastructure planning and monitoring. Local entrepreneurs should have opportunities to build businesses. Cultural knowledge should be valued as an economic and social resource.
The principle is especially important in frontier regions. Development must travel the last mile: a road must reach the village, a school must provide meaningful education, a health facility must have staff and medicines, a mobile tower must provide usable connectivity, an agricultural programme must improve household income, and a government scheme must produce a visible benefit in people’s lives.
The idea of peace pockets can therefore become part of a wider development strategy for Manipur. The State contains many geographical areas with different histories, levels of infrastructure, economic potential and social conditions. Geographically targeted development allows the government to work with local conditions and build programmes around actual opportunities.
The New Tusom area offers one such opportunity. Its surrounding villages possess agricultural resources, community institutions, cultural assets and a geographical position that connects the interior hills with the wider frontier landscape. Jessami and NH 202 provide wider connectivity. Somra in Myanmar provides the international frontier context. The policy task is to connect these geographical realities through development while keeping the interests of local communities at the centre do not believe Manipur has lost its future. Many of my friends, including some who are foreign educated, feel that the situation has reached a point where it is difficult to see a way forward. While i understand their concerns, i continue to remain firmly convinced that Manipur will rise again. For many centuries, Manipur has passed through wars, political upheavals, social transformations and periods of great uncertainty. Its people have continued to preserve their communities, culture and way of life. As long as there are public spirited individuals, committed civil society organisations and strong policy determination, there will always be possibilities for renewal.
This is why I believe the proposed Ukhrul model deserves serious consideration as a possible pathway for wider development in Manipur. The New Tusom proposal brings together existing peaceful civilian life with better connectivity, agriculture, education, healthcare, local enterprise, skills and inclusive growth. The purpose is to strengthen the conditions that allow ordinary life to flourish and give young people greater opportunities to build their future in their own communities. If implemented carefully and sustained over time, the model could generate lessons that may be adapted to other parts of Manipur according to their own geographical and social conditions. I remain convinced that Manipur possesses the people, resources, cultural strength and geographical opportunities required for renewal. With public-spirited citizens, active civil society and determined public policy working together, Manipur can rebuild its confidence and shine again.
This is the deeper purpose of creating pockets of peace and stability in Manipur. They should become places where ordinary life can flourish, where development reaches the village and where communities see a credible future emerging around them. The New Tusom area and the surrounding communities can provide an important starting point for such a development initiative. Jessami can provide the wider road connectivity through NH 202 while Somra provides the frontier context across the international boundary. If planned carefully, implemented transparently and sustained over several years, this development model could demonstrate how peace, infrastructure, livelihoods, education, culture and inclusive growth can reinforce one another.
When I looked at the map of Ukhrul that afternoon, I was thinking about roads, villages and distances. I now want all of us to see the possibility of a practical development plan built around communities that are already living in peace. The opportunity is to give that peace stronger livelihoods, better public services and a future in which young people can see a reason to build their lives here; while ensuring that roads are maintained, forests and springs are protected, classrooms are equipped, emergency healthcare is accessible, and the everyday vulnerabilities of farming households are addressed through transparent, community centred and conflict sensitive development.
The larger vision should be to create a peaceful, prosperous and well connected frontier in which the benefits of development reach the last village and where distance from the administrative and economic centres of the State no longer determines the quality of opportunities available to citizens. Development in the hills must remain firmly rooted in the communities that inhabit them. Local families, village institutions, farmers, women, young people, traditional knowledge holders and local entrepreneurs should have a meaningful role in shaping priorities, implementing programmes and deriving economic benefits from the transformation taking place around them. Land, forests, water sources, agricultural practices and cultural traditions constitute important foundations of community life and their protection should remain an integral part of the development process. The objective should be to create conditions in which a young person can access quality education, acquire relevant skills, pursue dignified employment, establish an enterprise and participate in the wider economy without being compelled by lack of opportunity to leave the region. Farmers should have access to improved technology, storage, processing facilities, credit and reliable markets so that agricultural production can generate greater and more predictable household incomes. Women should have greater opportunities through self help groups, producer organisations, local enterprises and value addition activities. Better roads, telecommunications, electricity, healthcare and educational institutions should reinforce these economic opportunities and improve the quality of everyday life. The wider frontier connection towards Somra in Myanmar can form part of a longer term vision of people to people, cultural and economic connections across the region, centred on peaceful communities and legitimate avenues of interaction.
In this sense, the proposed peace pockets development framework can become part of a broader approach to frontier development in Manipur, where concentrated investment in suitable locations creates stronger local economies, improves public services and generates confidence among communities. The experience can provide useful lessons for other hill areas according to their own geographical conditions, community priorities and development potential. Such an approach can contribute meaningfully to the wider vision of a “Viksit North East” by ensuring that the region’s remote villages are active participants in economic growth and social development and that Manipur’s frontier communities occupy a meaningful place in India’s eastern development landscape.
Government machineries must do everything that needs to be done in the interest and welfare of the common man. Let not the shadows of conflict, political differences/indifferences or competing interests/rivalries cloud judgement or distract the policymakers from their fundamental responsibility towards the people. Their lives, dignity, constitutional rights, security and well being must remain at the heart of every decision that is being made. Ultimately, the true measure of our efforts lies in the positive difference we make in the lives of ordinary people.
(Dr. Aniruddha Babar is a Senior Academician, Public Policy Expert & Social Development Specialist, Writer, and Researcher currently serving in the Department of Political Science, St. Joseph College, Ukhrul, Manipur. He is also the Co-Founder and Deputy Director of the Centre for North-East Development and Policy Research (CNEDPR), St. Joseph College, Manipur.)
(The views and opinions in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of Rural Post)
