Cong MLA picks hole in budget

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 12 : In a sharp criticism, Congress MLA Okram Surjakumar has stated that there is nothing to expect from the Manipur Budget for 2025-26 tabled in Parliament.
Addressing the media at his official residence at Babupara today, Surjakumar said that the Budget for Manipur was tabled in Parliament  due to the absence of a popular Government in the State.
He further stated that the the Budget Estimate (BE), Supplementary Demand for Grants, and Vote of Account presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for Manipur were a "copy-paste" version of the previous Manipur Government's plan.
The Congress MLA alleged that the Government misled the public by presenting the Budget Estimate (BE) for Manipur as a surplus Budget, despite it being deficit.
Saying that the Total Revenue Expenditure (TRE) mentioned in the BE is Rs 35,103 crore which is Rs 264 crore lower than the previous year's TRE  of  35,800, he accused the Government of  misleading the people.
Continuing that the Projected Revenue Expenditure (PRE) of Rs 21,511 crore accounts for 61 percent of the total expenditure, the Congress MLA added that 39 per cent of PRE which is Rs 13,592 crore, however, has been allocated towards the Capital Component.
He said that Budget allocated for Manipur contradicts the aspiration of the people.
Despite the reported significant increase in Manipur's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) from Rs 45,558 in FY 2023-24 to Rs 49,937 in 2024-25 and the Revised Estimate for 2024-25 of Rs 52,144 crore, the ground reality in Manipur seems to contradict the Government's claim, he said.
The claims that the economy of Manipur has grown by 15 per cent in the last two years appears to be an exaggeration, he said.
The Congress MLA also criticised the State's own tax revenue and the Government's collection plans. According to the MLA, there's a significant lapse in this area, which raises concerns about the Government's ability to meet its revenue targets.
Surjakumar also said that the Budget has failed to address the critical issues of resettling displaced people in Manipur and providing relief for the calamities that have struck the State.
He went on to criticize the allocated amounts, stating that Rs 500 crore announced as contingency fund for displaced people and Rs 100 crore for relief purposes are insufficient.
Asking what Rs 500 crore can do for the 60,000 displaced people, he added that the Budget allocated to Manipur won't be able to address the grievances of the people.
He, meanwhile, said that the moratorium period given to loanees in Manipur is about to expire but it's unlikely the Government will hold discussion on extending the moratorium period or to waive off the loans.
Expressing desire for the Government to announce a special package or scheme to support the State's economy, the MLA said that the economy of Manipur will deteriorate further without Government's assistance.