CM tables tentative plan outlay of Rs 3200 cr, MLA local area fund hiked to Rs 1 cr
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 15 2014: Chief Mi-nister Okram Ibobi who is also in charge of Finance Depart-ment presented full budget estimates for 2014-15 in the State Assembly today.

The tentative plan outlay of Rs 3200 crore would rise to Rs 4045.16 crore after un-spent balances of the previous year under NEC and NLCPR and amount transferred from CSS/CPS as Central Assistance to State Plan are added.

As per the budget estimates, the total receipt is estimated at Rs 9385.14 crore.

The revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 8826.42 crore and capital receipts including public account receipts at Rs 558.72 crore.

However this estimates would change after the plan outlay for 2014-15 is finalized.

Total receipt from Value Added Tax (VAT) is estimated at Rs 500 crore.

The total estimated expenditure for 2014-15 is Rs 9687.83 crore.

Of this, Rs 4045.16 crore is under Plan, which is tentative and Rs 5189.68 crore is under Non Plan.

The balance of Rs 452.98 crore is under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), Central Plan Schemes (CPS) and NE schemes, Ibobi stated.

Sectorally, Agriculture and allied activities have been allocated Rs 139 crore while Rural Development has been allocated Rs 176.66 crore.

The Chief Minister also announced on the floor of the House that the MLA Local Area Development Fund has been raised to Rs 1 crore for each MLA from Rs 75 lakh.

Whereas Irrigation and Flood Control has been allocated Rs 618.71 crore, Gene- ral Economic Services which include SPA, SCA, NEC and NLCPR among others has the maximum allocation of Rs 1287.88 crore.

Allocation for Social Services has been kept at Rs 661.91 crore while welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and development of MOBC has been allocated Rs 54 crore.

Social Security and Social Welfare have been allocated Rs 38.47 crore while Rs 89 crore has been earmarked for urban develop- ment.

Talking about power sector, the Chief Minister in- formed that 60,336 pre-payment meters have been installed till date.

The coverage would be further expanded during the current year.

Computerized billing system has already been introduced in some of the divisions and it is being expanded.

For implementation of Loktak Down Stream Hydro Electric Project with 66 MW capacity pre-qualification tender has been floated.

The State Government has tied up with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) to create a joint venture company namely Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporation Limited for implementation of the same project.

Speaking on road infrastructure, Ibobi stated that after the Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed to finance construction of roads from Tupul to Bishnupur and Thoubal to Kasom Khullen under the North Eastern States Road Investment Programme (NESRIP), the same project has been already put into motion.

ADB is also considering to finance construction of Imphal ring road, Imphal-Kangchup-Tamenglong road, and Heirok Machin-Khu-dengthabi road under South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation Road Connectivity Investment Programme (SRCIP).

Details are being finalized.

Construction of Lungthu-line (Manipur) to Vangbawng (Mizoram) road taken up under the Inter State Connec- tivity Scheme has been completed and work on Besho, Senapati district to Phek district, Nagaland is in progress, Ibobi informed the House.

He further informed that the Ministry of DoNER has agreed to provide Rs 10 crore to the six Autonomous District Councils in hill areas under the Social Infrastructure Development Fund.

The Ministry has also agreed to extend the coverage of the North Eastern Regional Community Resource Management Programme to two more districts, Chandel and C hurachandpur.

This involves proposed investment of over Rs 100 crore in each district over the next six years.

For infrastructure development of border and tribal areas, a sum of Rs 32.31 crore has been earmarked under Special Area Development Programme.

Under the 13th Finance Commission award, a scheme is being taken up for development of urban amenities at Moreh at the estimated cost of Rs 12.50 crore.

Switching to health sector, Ibobi stated that 50-bedded/100-bedded hospitals being constructed at different district headquarters are in vari- ous stages of completion.

Construction of TB&Leprosy Hospital at Keirao Wang-khem is almost 70 per cent complete.

In the para medical sphere, Government of India sanctioned funds for establishment of 6 GNM schools in the State and action has been initiated for construction of the required buildings.

Regarding drinking water and sanitation, the Chief Minister informed that in order to strengthen drinking water supply systems in Imphal area, the Ministry of Urban Development has approved Phase-I of the scheme for Integrated Water Supply for Imphal Planning area at the estimated cost of Rs 98.54 crore.

The project comprises of reconstruction of intakes and water treatment plants at Koirengei, Khuman Lampak, Singda, Kangchup, Kangchup Extension and Chinga; water treatment plants at Porompat, Minuthong and Canchipur, among other works, have been approved and would be implemented during 2014-15.The State Government has also prepared a scheme for drawing raw water from Thoubal Dam to meet the drinking water needs of Imphal city, Ibobi stated.

For the year 2014-15, an amount of Rs 142.22 crore has been earmarked for development and welfare of STs, SCs and hills, and Rs 18.15 crore for development and welfare of minorities with specific allocation of Rs 1.50 crore for modernization of madrassas.

Talking about agriculture, the Chief Minister claimed that the total area brought under paddy cultivation increased from 1,22,690 hectares in 2012-13 to 2,22,800 hectares in 2013-14 with production of 5,88,870 MT of clean rice.

In order to ensure timely availability of fertilizers to farmers, an amount of Rs 3.75 crore has been earmarked for buffer stocking of 15,000 MT of Urea during kharif season, Ibobi concluded.

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