Imphal, Feb. 6 (EMN): Manipur state budget which was tabled in the ongoing state assembly here on Monday has evoked mixed reaction from the experts in the state.
Most experts felt that the budget which was presented by the deputy chief minister Y Joykumar, who holds finance portfolio in the assembly, was a positive budget considering the state’s economy. The budget estimate of INR 13,733.62 crores (including INR 5602.56 crores for pay and pensions) was presented for the year 2018-19.
“We are aware that Manipur is currently facing shortage of resources over the last decade,” says Reader Dr. Thiyam Bharat Singh of
Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP), Manipur University. “This budget accords priority to education, health, skill development programmes and tourism by proposing higher expenditure on these sectors.”
Dr. Bharat however added that the budget does not mention about the Act East Policy which are currently being discussed in public forums. The most stagnant part of the budget was that it does not explore on the mobilisation of internal resources by revising own-tax and non-tax revenues. However, it determines to provide the matching share for centrally sponsored schemes, he felt.
According to Prof. Damudar Nepram of Economics department, Manipur University, the budget gives more focus on austerity steps and therefore may not be able to fulfil the expectation of the general public.
Prof Nepram felt that the demand for implementation of the 7th pay commission was not reflected in the state budget 2018-19. He added that it also shows the state has very limited resources.
Various bodies of the state government employees have been demanding implementation of the 7th pay commission recommendations in the state.
The state finance minister Joykumar clarified that the state government is currently in the process of working out the feasibility and financial implication on the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission in the state. The state requires a sum of INR 1400 crore annually to implement the new pay scale of the 98,000 state employees.
