Finance Minister Announces ₹500-Crore Corpus for Recovery in Strife-Torn Manipur
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹500-crore fund to support the economic recovery of violence-affected Manipur. This announcement was made during her response to discussions on “The Manipur Appropriation Bill, 2025” and “The Manipur Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, 2025,” both of which were passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha.
Ms. Sitharaman emphasized that law and order in Manipur have improved significantly, with only a few sporadic incidents remaining. She assured Parliament that the central government is committed to providing full financial support for the state’s development. “We are providing all possible financial assistance for the faster recovery of the Manipur economy,” she stated. “With the collective effort of both the Centre and the state government, we have seen substantial improvement in the overall situation. Arms and ammunition looted during the crisis are being recovered,” she added.
In addition to the ₹ 500 crore fund, ₹400 crore has been allocated for relief camp operations. Under the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (PMAY), the government has approved the construction of 7,000 houses for displaced citizens.
Manipur is under President’s Rule following the imposition of Article 356 of the Constitution last month, which grants Parliament the powers of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. On Monday, the Finance Minister presented the Manipur budget for 2025-26, which projects an expenditure of ₹35,103.90 crore, marking a 7.5% increase from the previous year’s budget of ₹32,656.81 crore. The capital outlay has been raised by 19% to ₹7,773 crore.
The Road Ahead:
While challenges remain, the Centre’s financial assistance represents a significant step toward rebuilding Manipur. With continued support, there is hope for restoring stability, rebuilding infrastructure, and creating a brighter future for all citizens.
