On Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the Rajya Sabha regarding the budget discussion for Manipur. While responding, she reaffirmed the central government's commitment to normalizing the situation and fostering prosperity in Manipur and asserted that apart from sporadic incidents, the state's law and order situation has seen improvement. She also assured comprehensive support from the finance ministry for the rapid economic growth of this sensitive border state in the Northeast.
Regarding the absence of a special package in Manipur's budget, the Finance Minister clarified that it is a vote-on-account bill for six months, not a full-year budget. Responding to opposition criticism about Prime Minister Narendra Modi not visiting Manipur, she listed the violent incidents and casualties up to the Gujral-led central government, citing the past during PV Narasimha Rao's term in 1993, when over 700 villages were burned and neither Rao nor his Home Minister Shankar Rao visited Manipur. IK Gujral didn't visit either.
She mentioned that Home Minister Amit Shah did visit Manipur and camped there for four days, listening seriously to the victims' issues in several relief camps. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also camped in Manipur for 23 days. Declaring Manipur a sensitive matter, she emphasized collective responsibility, encouraging mutual support, while detailing the central government's measures to improve Manipur's conditions against past violence.
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The Finance Minister noted that due to blockages, petrol prices had soared to 200 rupees per liter, and gas cylinders to 2000 rupees. The Home Minister's visit included camp setup, commented upon by CPM MP Santosh Kumar. She retorted, saying that the honorable member is from CPM, under whose rule West Bengal faced its harshest times, Tripura suffered long, and Kerala struggles due to it. The Finance Minister remarked that Marxism rendered industries extinct in West Bengal and Kerala, announcing the establishment of a 500 crore fund.
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She further shared that efforts by the central and state governments have significantly eased the situation in Manipur, reducing incidents of death and clashes, and enhancing weapon retrievals. Free movement of essential goods on national highways has resumed. The Finance Minister mentioned 400 crores of aid allocated for relief camp operations, promising further assistance if required.
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She told the Rajya Sabha of the mental and health support provided in the relief camps. Pending cases for the public are addressed promptly. Major projects are under monitoring. Alongside improvements in law and order, economic activity is resuming. Post the Finance Minister's address, Manipur's budget was passed in the Rajya Sabha.
