CM presents budget estimates, highlights Central assistance
Rs 101.75 Cr approved for running relief camps
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 31 2024: Chief Minister N Biren who also holds the Finance portfolio has presented Budget Estimates 2024-25 as the sixth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly began today.

None of the 10 Kuki MLAs took part in the Assembly proceedings today.

The said MLAs had also skipped the previous two Assembly sessions which were convened after May 3, 2023 .

Two of them are Cabinet Ministers namely Commerce and Industries Minister Nemcha Kipgen and Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip.

The session which will continue till August 12 will have nine sittings for the legislators to debate and deliberate on various legislative matters.

The last session of the State Assembly concluded on March 5, 2024 .

Presenting the Budget Estimates, Chief Minister N Biren stated that one of the casualties of the unrest witnessed in the State is the economy.

Reduced own revenue collections, increased expenditure on security and relief operations, inflation, difficulties in movement of goods and services, difficulties in implementation of projects and schemes etc.

were a few of the challenges that the State has been facing, he said.

For the past one year, the Central Government has been extending assistance to the State both in terms of fiscal resources and manpower.

In order to make up for the revenue losses suffered by the State, the Central Government approved a special assistance of Rs 500 crore, Biren said.

Speaking on the relief measures taken up by the Central Government and the State Government, the Chief Minister stated that the Central Government approved a relief package of Rs 101.75 crore as a one-time special assistance for operation of relief camps for people displaced due to the violence in the State.

Another package of Rs 209.45 crore was also approved for running schemes of relief and rehabilitation and rehabilitation of victims/persons affected by the ongoing law and order.

A scheme of Rs.145.18 crore for providing temporary shelter to displaced families for 3000 shelters was approved by the Central Government.

Another scheme approved by the Central Government is the scheme for compensatory packages for farmers.

Under this scheme, an amount of Rs.38.60 crore has been approved and an amount of Rs 18.91 crore has been released to 3483 farmers till date, Biren said.

Further, another scheme of Rs 89.22 crore was approved by the Central Government for providing complimentary dietary support at all relief camps.

Under the permanent housing scheme for the displaced persons whose houses had been burnt down, the State Government has rolled out a scheme to build 5000 permanent housing in the initial phase with estimated cost of Rs.375 crore.

Under this scheme, an amount of Rs.21.67 crore has been released to the DCs concerned for taking up works related to the scheme, the Chief Minister informed the House.

The State Government has also created a corpus fund of Rs 10 crore for extending ex-gratia to the deaths and injured persons, he said.

To deal with women related crimes, an amount of Rs 5 crore corpus fund has been set aside and kept at the disposal of Manipur State Legal Service Authority under "NALSA Scheme for Compensation to victims of crimes against women" so that immediate relief and support can be provided, Biren said.

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, 84 Schemes have been completed and 1273 ongoing schemes are more than 90% completed.

Out of 4.51 lakh households, 3.58 lakh households have been provided functional household tap connections (FHTCs) which is a coverage of 79.45% .

The State Government procured 40 bullet-proof light motor vehicles which has improved the mobility of police in maintaining law and order.

For the first time, the State Government had procured 10 Mine Protected Vehicles, which is not used commonly by State Police in the country.

This heavily armoured vehicle has helped the State Police in accessing highly vulnerable areas and dominating those areas.

"Apart from this we had procured a variety of weapons and ammunition to meet ever increasing challenges.

Overall in the past year, we had spent about Rs 80 crore on vehicles and arms with ammunition for our State Police", Biren said.

He also thanked the Central Government for approving Rs 40.50 crore for 'Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the State' .

Under the PM DevINE scheme, the State has received sanction for infrastructure development of two universities - Rs.54 crore for Manipur Technical University and Rs 71 crore for Dhanamanjuri University.

The works will be starting this year.

Under the same scheme, another project of Rs 31 crore for Manipur University of Culture is also expected to be sanctioned shortly, Biren said.

He stated that an allocation of about Rs 1600 crore has been made for the health sector in this year's budget.

The Government has proposed a project for setting up of a 60 bedded Mental Hospital in the State with a cost of Rs 70 crore under the PM DevINE scheme and this project has been sanctioned by the Central Government.

"Under the same PM DevINE scheme, we had proposed a scheme to provide 'Super Speciality and assured Speciality Health Care in remote and hill districts' at a cost of Rs.106.84 crore.

This project is in an advanced stage of approval and sanction and will reduce the gap in super speciality healthcare in the hills", he said.

Two tourism projects at Khoupum and Shirui are being proposed at a cost of Rs.80 crore, which are in advanced stage of approval.

Further, four roads and bridges are being proposed under NESIDS Roads for the border districts of Kamjong and Chandel, amounting to Rs 140 crore, which are also in advanced stage of approval, the Chief Minister told the House.

Talking about Externally Aided Projects (EAPs), Biren stated that six EAPs are currently under implementation in the State.

They are (i) ADB funded Imphal-Kangchup-Tamenglong road and this project is being closed this year, (ii) NDB funded Manipur Water Supply Project (iii) the KfW funded Forest Management Project (iv) World Bank funded Dam Rehabilitation Project (v) NDB funded Sewerage Project Phase-II (vi) NDB funded Lamphelpat Waterbody Rejuvenation Project.

Altogether, these six (6) projects amount to about Rs 7000 crore, he continued.

Two other EAPs viz; Imphal Ring Road Project and concrete roads project are in advanced stages of procurement and loan agreement, and signing for the projects are expected within this year.

An allocation of Rs 900 crore has been provided for both these EAPs in the budget, Biren stated.

An amount of Rs 4 crore has been provided in the budget for the recently launched Sportspersons Livelihood Guarantee Scheme under which athletes who have retired from active sports and are without a livelihood would be given support, he said.

The Chief Minister said that plans for construction of the Manipur Football Academy are underway and works for the construction of football fields with natural grass have been initiated.

A project for construction of a new 'Multipurpose Indoor Stadium in Khuman Lampak' is in advanced stage of approval with a tentative project cost of Rs.40 crore, he said.

The Government of India had sanctioned the 'Flood Management and Border Area Programme' to take up flood management works in ten river basins of the State.

Works under this project are progressing well and Rs.220 crore has been allocated for this project.

In addition to the Lamphelpat Water Body Rejuvenation Project, projects for conservation of wetlands are ongoing or being taken up across the State such as in Waithoupat, Yaralpat, Utrapat, Phumnom Pat, Jaimeng Wetland etc which will aid in flood management.

In total, about Rs 490 crore has been allocated in this budget for projects and works which will enable the State to manage floods more effectively, he continued.

For the implementation of the 'Integrated Management Plan' of the Loktak Lake, the Central Government had approved and sanctioned Rs 145 crore this year.

As per the Budget Estimates tabled by the Chief Minister, the total receipts are estimated at Rs 34,815 crore.

The revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 27,716 crore and capital receipts at Rs 7,099 crore.

The proposed total gross expenditure is Rs 34,899 crore and the total revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs 20,628 crore while the fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 1526 crore.

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