CM presents cash crunch, RBI ban to PM

New Delhi, Jun 16
Chief Minister N Biren Singh who is currently in New Delhi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman separately yesterday and apprised them of the financial situation in the State resulting from the ban imposed by the RBI. The Chief Minister requested them to extend some  flexibility to decide the quantum of borrowings under Open Market Borrowings within the overall ceiling fixed by the Finance Ministry.
He further requested to allow additional borrowing within the overall ceiling allowed for the State of Manipur.
As the release of the State share of Central Taxes is due only around June 21, the Chief Minister requested them to advance the release by a few days so as to come out of the overdraft.
In a statement issued to the press today, the Secretary to the Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister and Finance Minister assured that they will look into the points raised by the State Government positively. The Prime Minister and Finance Minister advised that Manipur Government should focus on additional resource mobilisation as well as expenditure cuts, so as to arrive at a sustainable solution to the problem.
The Chief Minister further apprised the Prime Minister of the State Government's programmes such as Go to Hills and added  that under this initiative, a Cabinet meeting was held at Ukhrul district headquarters on June 4.
During the Cabinet meeting various schemes implemented in the district were also reviewed exhaustively.
The improvement in law and order situation was apprised to the Central leaders, with women vendors in the Ima Market opening till late in the night. Peace and harmony has returned to the State, with reduction in bandhs and blockades, which were a regular feature in the past, the Chief Minister also apprised.
Startup initiatives through which entrepreneurs and unemployed youth were extended assistance for promoting their startups through subsidised loans were also highlighted and the Chief Minister also discussed a number of upcoming big projects in the State and sought assistance for expediting sanction of these projects.
The Chief Minister also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh the same day, and apprised him that the army is in possession of 66.91 acres of land at Koirengei Old Airfield.
The Defence Minister was briefed that with rapid urbanisation and construction of the Capital Complex in and around Koirengei area of Imphal city, which includes State Assembly, High Court Complex and Civil Secretariat, the State Government desires to restore the Koirengei Old Airfield land for expansion of State Capital Complex on the outskirts of Imphal City and other Government facilities.
The land is no longer required by the defence authorities for the purpose for which it was originally envisaged, highlighted the Chief Minister and emphasized that the land is located in a highly populated area and is better suited to meet the needs of growing Imphal, rather than that of an airfield. In response the Defence Minister assured that he will look into the matter, added the statement.
The Chief Minister also attended the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog held at the Cultural Centre of Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi yesterday.
He expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for making the State a partner in development through the Niti Aayog platform.  In the meeting, the Chief Minister presented a report on the successful coverage of all revenue villages in the State under the Go to Village initiative for delivering public service at people's doorsteps.
The deficit in the pre-monsoon rainfall and initiatives taken for rainwater harvesting in the State were highlighted, including amendments in building by-laws.
With the possibility of drought looming large, the Chief Minister sought enhanced allocation under MGNREGS to provide adequate employment support for rural people.
The achievements and challenges in meeting targets in implementation of various schemes in Chandel and Tengnoupal districts were exhaustively placed before the Governing Council.  To comprehensively develop these districts, the Chief Minister sought assistance for providing health infrastructure, residential schools, transit hostels for teachers, alternative livelihood measures for rehabilitation of poppy cultivators, road connectivity, mobile network, internet facilities and for enabling border trade between Molcham in India and Bokan in Myanmar.