Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday presented in the assembly the budget for 2024-25 with an expenditure proposal of Rs 34,040 crore out of the consolidated fund of the state.
The budget proposals focus on education, health, sports and agriculture, CM Biren said who also holds the finance portfolio. Total Revenue Expenditure is estimated at Rs 20,246 crore and Capital outlay is estimated at Rs 8,155 crore.
He said the Fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs (-) 2344 crore. This is (-) 4.45 per cent of the GSDP. During 2024-25, the total outstanding debt as a percentage of GSDP is projected at 32 per cent. The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2024-25 is estimated at Rs 52,711 crore.
On Revised Estimate 2023-24, he said, in the Budget Estimate 2023-24, total expenditure was estimated at Rs 35,022 crore. The total expenditure during RE 2023-24 has been revised to Rs 32,591 crores. Revenue receipts and capital receipts were estimated at Rs 27,547 crore and Rs 6583 crores respectively in Budget Estimates 2023-24. This has now been revised to Rs 23,627 crores and Rs 8,000 crore in RE 2023-24 respectively. All overall receipts and expenditure figures are inclusive of Ways and Means Advances and Repayments.
He continued that taking into account all receipts and expenditures, the current year is expected to have a budgetary deficit of Rs. (-) 962 crore in RE 2023-24 as against the deficit of Rs (-) 890 crore in BE 2023-24. The fiscal deficit for 2023-24 (RE) is projected at Rs (-) 2235 crore, which is (-) 4.91 per cent of GSDP.
Highlighting the various achievements and the initiatives taken up by his government, he said this year has been one of the most challenging years that the state has faced. However, he said the Government remains committed to safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur, protection of the lives of all its citizens, action against anti-social and anti-national elements and ensuring the ‘rule of law’. The Government will ensure that all necessary support will be given to those who have suffered in the unfortunate events of the past few months, he asserted.
He continued, since the outbreak of unrest in the state, the Central government has approved an amount of Rs. 400 crores for immediate relief to the state, in addition to many other forms of support. The immediate relief support includes daily rations, management of relief camps, construction of prefabricated structures, cash transfers for daily needs to inmates, nutrition and personal hygiene support etc. The State Government is in constant communication with the Central government for additional support. The Government has supported the livelihood of those affected by taking up various livelihood generation activities, provision of skill training, support with tool kits etc. with a focus on those in the relief camps. In order to mitigate the impact of the unrest on students’ education, the state government had taken up many steps.
In spite of various challenges faced in recent months, both in terms of resources and implementation of projects and schemes, the government has been working tirelessly to fulfill the commitment to the people, he mentioned. The government has taken up a number of policy measures that have touched the lives of our people in many aspects like Go to Village, Go to Hills, Chief Minister’s Hakshelgi Tengbang, Manipur Start Up Policy, our measures have taken care of the people in many areas – from health care to supporting the entrepreneurship spirit. These programmes have supplemented the important initiatives of the Central Government including, PM Kisan, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Skill India, Digital India, etc. It is the mission of the state government to support the initiative of the Central Government of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
Leader of the House and chief minister (in charge of Finance), N Biren Singh presented the Demands for Supplementary Grants for the year 2023 – 2024 amounting to Rs 3546 crore covering 26 Demands and 2 Appropriations. He also moved the motion for vote on accounts 2024-2025.
He also presented the 6th Report of the Business Advisory Committee.
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