Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh urged civil society groups to avoid bandhs and blockades, saying repeated shutdowns were adding to the economic damage caused by the conflict.
BY PC Bureau
September 16: More than three years of conflict have left a deep hole in Manipur’s finances, with the state’s GST collections falling by over ₹1,200 crore between 2023 and 2026, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister attributed the decline to the prolonged conflict and the repeated disruption of economic activity across the state. He was speaking at the foundation day celebration of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union in Imphal.
Singh appealed to civil society organisations to refrain from calling bandhs and blockades, saying such actions have a wider economic impact and further delay the state’s recovery.
Manipur has witnessed frequent shutdowns and blockades since ethnic violence erupted between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023. Various organisations have used such measures to press demands ranging from security and political issues to the updating of the National Register of Citizens.
The Chief Minister said the state now needed collective efforts to rebuild an environment in which businesses could function and development activity could resume. Repeated disruptions to transport and commerce, he said, were adding to the economic burden created by the conflict.
The security situation has also remained unsettled. Although large-scale clashes between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups have not been reported in recent months, Naga and Kuki-Zo communities have been caught up in fresh violence since February this year. Several people have been killed and houses burnt in the latest incidents.
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Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam told the Manipur Assembly on September 3 that at least 306 people had been killed and thousands displaced in the violence since May 2023.
At the AMWJU event, Singh also announced an increase in the monthly pension for journalists from ₹8,000 to ₹10,000. The monthly family pension will rise from ₹5,000 to ₹7,000.
He said many journalists had been unable to make their contributions to the pension scheme during the conflict. The government will therefore provide a one-time relaxation to enable eligible journalists to reactivate their pension accounts.
The government’s appeal for an end to shutdowns comes as Manipur attempts to revive economic activity while dealing with the continuing security, displacement and social consequences of the conflict.
