Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the budget for Manipur in the House of the People for the year 2025-26.
The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, presented the Manipur budget for the year 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The budget focuses on capital investment, social rehabilitation, extensive security infrastructure, and strengthening public trust through focused economic and stabilization measures.
The capital outlay for Manipur in 2025-26 has been increased by 19 per cent to Rs 7,773 crore compared to the current financial year ending March 2025. An additional central allocation of Rs 2,898 crore was announced, with Rs 1,667 crore designated for capital expenditure, reflecting a strong push for infrastructure development and rebuilding efforts amid ongoing tensions.
The social sector outlay in the Manipur budget for 2025-26 is Rs 9,520 crore. A significant portion of this allocation, Rs 523 crore, is specifically allocated for the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons, highlighting the focus on addressing displacement issues arising from conflict in the region. Additionally, Rs 15 crore has been provided for temporary shelter for internally displaced persons.
Security-related spending is another key focus area in the budget. The budget allocates Rs 542 crore for security infrastructure and Rs 500 crore for the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces. Overall, around Rs 3,654 crore has been earmarked for security, law, and order to stabilize the region and restore public trust.
To support broader economic recovery, the budget includes provisions such as Rs 633 crore to clear high-interest public sector loans and Rs 700 crore for capital infusion into critical sectors. The Manipur budget also provides for over Rs 2,000 crore under special assistance to states for capital investment (SASCI).
Furthermore, a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,866 crore for 2025-26 has been made towards incentives for police personnel in sensitive areas of Manipur. The total receipts for Manipur in 2025-26 are pegged at Rs 35,368.19 crore, an increase from the current year's Rs 32,471.90 crore. The envisaged expenditure for Manipur in 2025-26 is Rs 35,103.90 crore, an increase from the current financial year's Rs 32,656.81 crore.
The budget and related Bills were approved by the Lok Sabha amid opposition uproar but are seen by the Finance Ministry as essential for restoring stability and rebuilding Manipur’s infrastructure and social fabric. The budget aims to address the state's fragile socio-economic situation, provide support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and strengthen security to ensure a safe and prosperous future for the people of Manipur.
The budget for Manipur in 2025-26 reflects a strong push for policy-and-legislation, with initiatives aimed at capital investment, social rehabilitation, extensive security infrastructure, and strengthening public trust. The plans include a focus on politics, as evident in the budgetary allocation of Rs 2,866 crore for incentives for police personnel in sensitive areas.
The Manipur budget of 2025-26, amid general-news of ongoing tensions, also includes provisions to address the state's fragile socio-economic situation, such as the allocation of a significant portion of the social sector outlay for the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons.
