N Biren presents overdraft case to Nirmala

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 15 : In the wake of the prevailing financial situation and political crisis in Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at her office chamber in New Delhi today. The Chief Minister also called on Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at his official residence and congratulated him on being named as the Nation's Defence Minister.
The meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman assumes significance considering the State is in the middle of a financial crisis with the Reserve Bank of India banning all financial transactions from the account of Manipur Government with immediate effect. This was after the State is staring at an overdraft of Rs 247.48 crore crore, exceeding 36 days in a quarter, as per the scheme of 'Ways of Means Advances' for the year 2019-20.
Sources from the Chief Minister's office said that during the meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, Chief Secretary Dr Suresh Babu and Principal Secretary, Rakesh Ranjan were present.
The response of the Union Finance Minister was positive to the case highlighted by the Chief Minister, added the source.
It his Twitter message, CM Singh wrote, “Called on Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman ji @nsitharaman , Hon'ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, at her office chamber today and apprised her of the present financial position of the State.”
Commenting on the CM’s meeting with the Finance Minister, sources in the Manipur CMO said that issues relating to the overdraft of the State were discussed.
A number of senior Ministers and MLAs from the State have rushed to New Delhi to meet their Central leadership.
Even though Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is camping in New Delhi since Thursday and have been meeting senior Ministers and BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh and Kiren Rijiju, among others, sources in the Manipur CMO have called such meetings as ‘pre-planned’ and ‘official’.