IMPHAL, June 20 - Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh today maintained that there is no �political crisis� in the State.
�It is purely an internal matter,� Singh said. �As the head of the Government, I want to ensure financial discipline for the smooth functioning of the Government. But there is nothing related to political differences,� he added.
The Chief Minister was speaking to media persons on the sideline of the joint People�s Day and Hill Leaders� Day, at the Chief Minister�s Secretariat here.
He also informed that the Reserve Bank of India is likely to lift the ban imposed on financial transactions of the State Government due to overdraft within a day or two.
He said that during the recent NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi, he had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of the current financial position in the State and requested them to release open market borrowings for the State to overcome the current situation.
Subsequently, the Union Ministry of Finance issued a permission, directing the RBI to raise open market borrowings for the State up to Rs 795 crore.
For the time being, the State is borrowing Rs 400 crore from the open market to neutralise the current situation, he said. The State Government is also expecting to receive Rs 305 crore as the State share of Central taxes in a day or so.
Stating that the Prime Minister had mooted the need of rainwater harvesting to curb water scarcity while addressing the 5th Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog, Singh said the Prime Minister directed the States to impart awareness regarding rainwater harvesting projects at the district and village levels. Accordingly, the State Government will convene a joint meeting of Zilla Parishad Members, pradhans and autonomous district council members soon, he added.
On another positive note, Singh also stated that he secured approval of different projects worth Rs 176.43 crore from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) during his visit to New Delhi.
In the joint People�s Day and Hill Leaders� Day which could not be held in March, April and May due to the Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Minister attended to around 510 complaints and personally met around 1,500 people.
