Social researcher shares views on State Budget
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 24 2019: Social Researcher Serto Tondana Kom has termed the State Budget produced during the ongoing Budget session, as meaningless as it has not offered any priority to Youth Affairs and Sports and Art and Culture Department, which are some of the sectors/field instantly associated with the State.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today, he said that the State Budget 2019-20 has given more priorities to the police, community and rural development and education and there must be a reason for giving such priority to these areas.

He stated that 12.97 percent of the State's total budget has marked for the Police Department and questioned whether the move is due to the law and order situation in the State or whether it is due to the presence of a large number of educated but unemployment youth, as per the Employment Exchange Department records there are more than 8 lakh unemployed youths in the State currently.

Giving priority towards the education sector is considered as a good step by the Government but it is very unfortunate that the Department concerned has failed to provide any textbooks to the students till date, he added.

Serto Tondana Kom continued that it is very unfortunate to see only 3.11 percent of the total budget being allocated for Art and Culture and only 0.64 percent for Youth Affairs and Sports, as these are the two Departments which are bringing glory to the State at the International and National level.

He mentioned that such illogical decision of the Government might be the reason why many players of the State are facing difficulties in pursuing their goals and asked how the said two Departments will be managed with such small budgets.

The social researcher then pointed out that the Fisheries Department was allocated only 1.02 percent of the t6tal budget even though a few months back, the Minister concerned, during a function which was also attended by the Chief Minister, had stated that the total requirement of fish in the State is 52 metric tons, even though the State produces only 32 metric tons while the remaining 20 metric tons are exported from other parts of the country as per the requirements.

The State Government keeps talking about youth empowerment and nourishing entrepreneurship in the State, but only 1.22 percent has been reflected in the State budget for Commerce and Industry Department, he added.

Further Serto Tondana Kom said that the Government also has to look after the tourism sector which is going to be one of the major sources of income for the State but only 0.42 percent has been reflected in the budget for the said sector.

Taking into consideration such questionable allocations of the State budget, he claimed that the State budget 2019-20 is meaningless.

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