House clears five demands for grants
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 02 2022: Despite owing a debt of around Rs 16,000 crore, the State Government has been working at its best capacity to improve the State's financial situation and at the same time implement several development programmes.

This was stated by Chief Minister N Biren while discussing five demands for grants including that of Finance which amounted to Rs 2574.75 crore in the State Assembly today.

Responding to a policy cut motion raised by Opposition leader Okram Ibobi, N Biren maintained that the State's financial position deteriorated to present status due to accumulation of debts which started around two decades back.

Nonetheless, the Central Government, after taking into consideration the financial discipline maintained by the State Government to overcome the debt and the developmental changes brought about by the State Government, has been implementing several schemes and projects in the State, he said.

As the State's GSDP rose during the last five years, the borrowing capacity has also grown.

In another word, the State can now borrow around Rs 1800 crore in a year.

It means the State has the capacity to meet any urgent situation, the Chief Minister continued.

With Rs 1100 crore earmarked in the budget to pay the State's shares of different Central sponsored schemes, the State is now in a position to implement projects worth around Rs 9000 crore, he claimed.

Although the State owes a huge amount, the development works/projects implemented with this borrowed money would ultimately become assets of the State.

Moreover, some of these loans are invested in projects which can generate revenue or income, Biren said.

All the loans are of long term and they were borrowed in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the RBI and the Central Government, he asserted.

Many development works are being implemented in the form of externally aided projects (AEP) with the help of the Central Government and many more are in the pipeline.

Many projects including construction of Imphal-Tamenglong road via Kangchup (estimated cost Rs 1437 crore), Manipur Water Supply Project (estimated cost Rs 3100 crore), Sustainable Forest Management for Water Resources Conservation (estimated cost Rs 256 crore) and Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (estimated cost Rs 311 crore) are currently underway with funding from different sources such as ADB, NDB etc, Biren said.

Some other projects like rejuvenation of Lamphelpat Water Bodies, Integrated Sewerage Project for Imphal-II and Imphal Ring Road are in the stage of holding tender.

All these works are externally aided projects, the Chief Minister said.

Some AEPs which have been approved by the Central Government are construction of roads in Imphal city with concrete and rigid pavement, enhancing livelihood of community based watershed development, Loktak Lake rejuvenation project and Manipur IT-SEZ^ he listed.

Replying to certain points raised by K Meghachandra, the Chief Minister informed the House that due process is underway to grant one time retirement benefit and pension to retired Government employees.

For this, the State Government is required to spend around Rs 772 crore and the Government would make all efforts to release the required amount by October this year, he added.

In the course of discussing a demand for grant pertaining to Land Revenue, Stamps & Registration and District Administration, the Chief Minister stated that a survey has been going on in order to create a land bank of the State.

If such a land bank is not created, the Government would face a serious challenge in searching land for implementing development works in future, he said.

Replying to a query raised by K Meghachandra regarding the recent eviction of encroachers from 17-Chaobok, Biren stated that there were serious anomalies in the allotment of lands.

As such, all the allotments were cancelled and the eviction drive was carried in accordance with the rule of law, he said.

Nonetheless, the Government would make alternative arrangements for those evicted families who genuinely do not have homestead plots, Biren said.

He said that construction of Manipur University of Culture has been going on at the cost of Rs 79.98 lakh and so far Rs 40 lakh has been released.

The Government has also been considering to fulfil three major demands put forward by the Action Committee for Manipur Film Industry, Biren added.

Later, the House passed seven demands for grants namely; Land Revenue, Stamps & Registration and District Administration (Rs 137,33,78,000), Finance (Rs 2362,75,13,000), State Excise (Rs 13,51,03,000), Sales Tax, Other Taxes, Duties on Commodities & Services (Rs 6,83,55,000) and Art & Culture (Rs 55,32,02,000) .

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