IMPHAL, June 10: Among the top priorities of the government to taken up within this year is augmentation of the existing water in Imphal city for which a project on collection and use of raw-water at the cost of Rs. 687 crores is set to be taken up.
This was stated by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh who also holds the portfolio of Finance in his address while presenting the budget of demands for grants of the current budget, 2013 – 14 during the first day of the fifth session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly today.
The Chief Minister further said that the big gap in water supply in Imphal city will be resolved soon after the project begins to function and added that Rs 50 crores has been earmarked for the project under EAP.
As the state’s economy is based mostly on agriculture, the state government has taken a firm stand to promote agriculture and farmers, he said.
Revised outlay of agriculture and allied sector shows 21.16 % growth with an increase from Rs 201.19 crores in 2012-13 to Rs 243.76 crores in 2013–14 and the increase in outlay will help maintain the growth momentum in primary sector, he said.
Rs 163.86 crores has been allotted for road connectivity (roads and bridges) with the main focus on further improvement/upgradation of physical connectivity of the state, the Chief Minister said.
It covers Rs 102.30 crores for upgradation of road connectivity in the districts of both hills and the valley under SPA and Rs 11.46 crores for projects on other road connectivity (roads and bridges), he said.
A total of Rs 33.46 crores for infra-structural development of border and tribal areas under special area development program has also been earmarked which include the total amount of Rs 20 crores for border area development program, the Chief Minister said.
He further said that the efficient power supply is indispensable to growth and development and added that a total amount of Rs 130.87 crores has been earmarked for the power sector with the improvement of power supply and increase in collection of taxes being focussed on, he elaborated.
A total of Rs 139.23 crore has also been earmarked for education, sports and Arts & Culture, the Chief Minister said.
On the other hand, Rs 310.61 crores has been allocated for health and water supply sectors, the Chief Minister said while adding that the total amount of Rs. 338.29 crores has been earmarked for urban development.
“In continuation of the stand of my government to strengthen local self-government institutions, Rs 132.75 crores has been set aside for the autonomous district councils”, the CM pointed out adding that a total of Rs 26 crores is meant for construction of up-to-date primary school buildings in the hill districts.
“My government has been focussing on socio-economic advancement of schedule castes, minorities and other backward classes with an objective of the all-time, all-inclusive development for which we are proposing the allocation of a total amount of Rs. 17.80 crores in the sector”, he said.
Khadi and village industry and Sericulture take an important role in our economy without major industries and these sectors provide direct employment and supplementary employment to lakhs of houses in the state, he said.
An amount of Rs 97.70 crores has been put aside with an objective to encourage and develop industrial sector, he continued.
The amount includes Rs 50 crores for EAP component to take up works under Manipur Sericulture Project Phase II, he said.
It was placed in the house that a sum of Rs. 20 crores has been earmarked for setting up of information technology special economic zone at Mantipukhri this year with some new projects being proposed without SPA grants.