Another session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly began on Wednesday – the third since the outbreak of violence in the state last year – without the presence of the 10 MLAs from the Kuki-Zomi community.
The ongoing session of the 60-member Manipur Legislative will continue till August 12.
On Wednesday, when Chief Minister N. Biren Singh tabled the Budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, the notable absence was that of the 10 MLAs from the Kuki-Zomi community. This comes amid the conflict in the state between the Kuki-Zomi community and the Meitei community.
Ahead of the Assembly session, the CM had said that “invitations” had been sent by the Assembly to the 10 MLAs and that “They should come and join.”
The Indian Express had reached out to several of the 10 legislators for comment but they did not respond. In the past, they have stated that they are unable to travel to capital Imphal to attend the Assembly for security reasons.
On the opening day of the session, the CM told the House that the state’s economy, which has been one of the “casualties” of the ongoing unrest, is seeing some signs of improvement.
The Chief Minister, who is also in charge of finance, was delivering his speech on the floor of the House on Wednesday while tabling the budget.
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“Reduced revenue collections, increased expenditure on security and relief operations, inflation, difficulties in the movement of goods and services, and difficulties in the implementation of projects and schemes among others were a few of the challenges that we faced. With normalcy returning to the State, our tax collection is showing a positive trend,” he said.
To make up for the revenue losses suffered by the state, the Centre approved special assistance for revenue loss of Rs 500 crore, he said.
Elaborating on the relief measure extended by the Centre, Singh said that as a special measure, the Central government approved a relief package of Rs. 101.75 crore as a one-time special assistance for the operation of relief camps for people displaced due to violence.
Another package he informed the House about was Rs. 209.45 crore for running schemes for relief and rehabilitation of victims/persons affected by ongoing law and order.
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Elaborating on the rehabilitation measures, Singh said that a scheme for interim relief to people whose houses had been burnt down has been started by the state to give relief to displaced persons. In addition, the Chief Minister said the state had created a Rs. 10 crore State Corpus Fund for extending ex-gratia to the deaths and injured persons.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges.
Expertise and Experience
Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts.
Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities.
Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East.
Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for:
Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms.
Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
