UKHRUL: The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM) has asked a group of retired District and Sessions Court judges to rethink their representation to President Droupadi Murmu opposing the Union Finance Ministry’s move to study the creation of a separate budget for Manipur’s hill areas.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Tribal body said the proposal for a “Separate Hills Budget” is meant to address long-pending development gaps in the hill districts and should not be viewed as a threat to Manipur’s territorial or administrative structure.
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The Union Finance Ministry’s Office Memorandum dated November 26 has triggered debate, with the retired judges reportedly warning that the move could undermine existing constitutional protections and state mechanisms. TYCM said such apprehensions are unfounded, pointing out that Manipur is under President’s Rule and the state’s budget is currently prepared and approved by the Centre.
“There is no bypassing of the Governor, nor any violation of Article 371C,” the TYCM noted, adding that the federal structure remains intact under the present arrangement.
The TYCM also referred to a report carried by The Sangai Express on December 4, saying the retired judges’ intervention may unintentionally stall development efforts in the hill areas and strain relations among communities.
Reiterating its support for the proposal, TYCM said the demand for targeted budgeting for the hills is a legitimate claim of the Scheduled Tribes in Manipur and urged all stakeholders to approach the matter with “care and clarity”.