CPI(M) terms Manipur budget 'inadquate' amid eithnic violence, JD(U) says 'not fully satisfactory'

Imphal: The CPI(M) termed the Manipur budget "inadequate" to address issues such as people's suffering due to ethnic violence, rising inflation and unemployment, while the JD(U) claimed that the annual financial statement for the northeastern state was "not fully satisfactory".

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Manipur budget for the 2025-26 fiscal and supplementary demands for grants, which entails Rs 51,463 crore additional spending in the current fiscal.

"There has been an increase in allocations as compared to the last fiscal. However, the budget is inadequate to address issues that people are grappling with in view of violence, rising inflation and unemployment," CPI(M) state unit secretary Kshetrimayum Shanta told PTI.

He also claimed that the budget was tabled without any proper discussion and study of the ground realities in the state.

"How will this budget cover the requirements of more than 60,000 people who have been rendered homeless? How will the budget compensate them to rebuild houses that have been razed to the ground in Churachandpur, Moreh and parts of Imphal," the CPI(M) leader said.

The state witnessed one of the most devastating floods in decades but there has been no mention of the deluge, Shanta claimed, adding, "We want to know what steps are being taken by the government to curb rising inflation".

"A major increase in allocations is required. This budget has been hurriedly drafted without any discussion," the Left leader alleged.

The district-level bureaucratic officers should reach out to the people and understand their requirements before the preparation of the budget, he said.

JD(U)'s Manipur unit secretary Maisnam Dorendro told PTI: "The budget is not fully satisfactory. Though there have been criticisms from several sections that the budget does not cover internally displaced people, there have been previous assistance and funds allocated for them." The lower house of Parliament passed, by voice vote, Rs 1,291 crore demands for excess grants for 2021-22 fiscal and the Rs 1,861 crore supplementary demands for grants for Manipur in 2024-25.

With regard to the Manipur budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the total receipts are Rs 35,368 crore, while total expenditure is estimated at Rs 35,104 crore.

The state's own tax is about Rs 2,634 crore and non-tax is about Rs 400 crore.

"Similar to the way in which we have helped J&K, we are providing all the financial assistance to support faster recovery of the economy of Manipur," Sitharaman said.

The Vote on Account provides for a Rs 500 crore corpus for the creation of a contingency fund for Manipur, which is currently under the President's Rule.