Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh has launched a sharp attack on the Manipur Government’s financial management, citing the latest Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report to allege large-scale budgetary under-utilisation, weak capital expenditure and a growing debt burden in the State.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan, Imphal, today, Meghachandra said the CAG’s State Finances Audit Report for 2024-25 exposed serious weaknesses in financial planning and budget execution, questioning whether funds earmarked for development, infrastructure, health and welfare were being effectively utilised for the people.
He pointed to Rs. 8,927.55 crore remaining unspent against a total budget provision of Rs. 37,392.66 crore during 2024-25, representing savings of 23.88 per cent. According to Meghachandra, the scale of the underspending raises serious questions over the Government’s capacity to execute its own budgetary plans.
The Congress leader particularly flagged capital expenditure. Against a capital budget provision of Rs. 8,989.60 crore, actual expenditure was only Rs. 2,704.23 crore, leaving around ¹ 6,285 crore unspent. He argued that such low capital spending could directly affect the implementation of development and infrastructure projects.
Meghachandra also questioned the substantial gap between budgeted and actual Central grants. He said grants-in-aid from the Government of India were budgeted at Rs. 16,015.85 crore, while actual receipts stood at only Rs. 5,473.21 crore, leaving a gap of Rs. 10,542.64 crore. He demanded that the Government explain the reasons behind the substantial shortfall in Central assistance.
The CLP leader further raised concerns over the State’s borrowing pattern, saying Manipur raised gross borrowings of Rs. 11,599.08 crore in 2024-25, of which Rs. 9,420.41 crore, or 81.22 per cent, was used to repay earlier principal debt.
According to him, the State’s gross debt and other obligations increased from Rs. 18,871.79 crore at the end of 2023-24 to Rs. 20,846.88 crore at the end of 2024-25, while interest payments rose to Rs. 1,022.23 crore.
He also highlighted the CAG’s finding that 138 projects remained incomplete despite Rs. 473.53 crore having already been spent on them. Delays, he said, could result in cost escalation while depriving the public of the intended benefits of the projects.
Meghachandra further questioned savings of Rs. 229.94 crore under Relief and Disaster Management during 2024-25, particularly in a State facing a prolonged humanitarian and security crisis. He said substantial savings under the grant had also occurred in previous years.
“The CAG is not an opposition party. It is the constitutional auditor of public money,” Meghachandra said, arguing that the audit findings raise questions of financial accountability rather than merely accounting discrepancies.
He said the Government owed an explanation to the people as to why thousands of crores remained unspent at a time when Manipur was facing an unprecedented crisis and people were in urgent need of development, rehabilitation and essential public services.
“Money was budgeted, money was borrowed, but development expenditure did not keep pace,” he said.
Meghachandra asked the Government to explain why Rs. 8,927.55 crore remained unspent during 2024-25 and why the State received substantially less in Central grants than the amount budgeted.
He also raised concern over the State’s projected debt and liabilities, citing Rs. 32,590.57 crore as the latest figure as per the 2025-26 Revised Estimates, and questioned the Government’s strategy for managing the growing fiscal burden.
“How long will the Government continue to increase the State’s debt and liabilities, and what is the plan to ensure sustainable public finances?” he asked.
Targeting the BJP-led Government, Meghachandra questioned how long the State could continue accumulating debt and liabilities under the “double-engine” government and demanded a clear roadmap for ensuring financial sustainability.
He maintained that the CAG findings should prompt the Government to explain not only the figures but also the reasons behind the under-utilisation of funds, weak capital spending and rising liabilities.