IMPHAL : Six legislators belonging to the Kuki-Zo-Hmar community participated in the ongoing budget session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly through video conferencing on Monday, in what Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh described as a “positive step” towards restoring normal political engagement in the violence-hit state.

The MLAs joined the proceedings remotely and appeared on television screens installed inside the Assembly hall, marking a rare instance of virtual participation amid the continuing ethnic divide that has shaped Manipur’s political landscape since 2023.

Welcoming the development, the chief minister said the participation of the legislators indicated gradual progress towards normalisation after nearly two years of ethnic unrest.

“Attendance of the Assembly session by the Kuki-Zo-Hmar MLAs is a positive step towards the normalisation of the current situation in the state. This is a good beginning, and everyone should encourage it,” Singh said during the session.

Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities that erupted in May 2023 had effectively divided Manipur’s valley and hill districts. Since then, members of the two communities have largely avoided travelling through areas dominated by the other, making physical participation in the Assembly difficult for several hill-based legislators.

Following the outbreak of violence, 10 Kuki-Zo-Hmar MLAs had demanded a separate administrative arrangement for the hill districts and distanced themselves from the government then headed by former chief minister N Biren Singh.

Of the nine sitting Kuki-Zo-Hmar legislators in the Assembly at present, six joined the first day of the budget session virtually. Those who participated included Nemcha Kipgen, L M Khaute, Letzamang Haokip, Ngursanglur Sanate, Kimneo Haokip Hansing and Haokholet Kipgen.

Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh welcomed their presence and described it as the first day of their participation in the ongoing budget session.

He also pointed out that three of the legislators – Nemcha Kipgen, L M Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate – had earlier joined the chief minister’s trust vote through video conferencing on February 5.

Another legislator, Letpao Haokip, sought leave of absence from the session due to health reasons, which the Speaker said had been approved.

Currently, the Kuki-Zo-Hmar community is represented by nine MLAs in the Assembly – six from the Bharatiya Janata Party, two from the Kuki Peoples’ Alliance and one independent member.

One of the original 10 legislators from the community, Vungzagin Valte, died in February at a private hospital in Gurugram. Valte had suffered severe injuries in a mob attack in Imphal during the early phase of the violence in 2023.

Officials said the state government arranged video conferencing facilities to enable the MLAs to participate from different locations. The arrangements were set up at offices of the National Informatics Centre in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur, as well as at Manipur Bhawans in Guwahati and New Delhi.

Political engagement between the government and Kuki-Zo-Hmar representatives has gradually resumed following the formation of a new administration earlier this year.

President’s Rule in Manipur had been imposed in the state after Biren Singh stepped down as chief minister in February 2025. The central rule was revoked on February 4 this year, when a new government led by Khemchand Singh assumed office.

After the new government was formed, Kuki-Zo-Hmar legislators began participating once again in official programmes. Nemcha Kipgen was later sworn in as deputy chief minister and given charge of the rural and panchayati raj development department along with the hill and tribal affairs portfolio.

Rehabilitation of people displaced by ethnic violence has emerged as a major priority in Manipur’s 2026-27 budget, with the state government earmarking Rs 734 crore to accelerate resettlement and recovery efforts across affected areas.

Presenting the budget in the Manipur Legislative Assembly on March 9, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said the allocation is aimed at expediting the rehabilitation of thousands of families displaced during the unrest that has affected the state since 2023.

Addressing the House, Singh described the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a top priority of the government. The programme focuses on providing permanent housing, restoring livelihoods and ensuring the sustainable reintegration of affected communities.

The chief minister informed legislators that the Union government has extended assistance for the construction of permanent houses, compensation for the loss of personal belongings and movable assets, and repairs to partially damaged homes.

He added that the Centre has provided a special financial package of Rs 2,198 crore to the state during the current financial year. The support is intended to help Manipur pre-pay high-interest loans, meet security-related expenditure, cover the deployment costs of Central Armed Police Forces and strengthen rehabilitation efforts for displaced families.

According to Singh, the central assistance has helped the state manage its financial commitments without constraining development spending.

The budget estimates total receipts for the 2026-27 financial year at Rs 32,339 crore. This includes revenue receipts of Rs 23,102 crore and capital receipts amounting to Rs 9,237 crore.

Total expenditure for the year is projected at Rs 30,356 crore, comprising revenue expenditure of Rs 19,807 crore and capital outlay of Rs 4,716 crore.

Singh also pointed to improvements in the law and order situation, saying the relative stability has enabled the government to make “considerable progress across sectors”.

The chief minister highlighted an expected increase in the state’s own revenue collection, projected to rise from Rs 2,087 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 2,887 crore by 2026-27.

For the upcoming financial year, Manipur’s own tax revenue is estimated at Rs 2,437 crore, while non-tax receipts are projected at Rs 450 crore.

Apart from rehabilitation, the budget also proposes a new initiative aimed at strengthening women’s economic participation. Under a Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Women through Self Help Groups, around 3.5 lakh women across the state are expected to benefit.

Each beneficiary will receive Rs 10,000 in the first year through direct benefit transfer, with the government allocating Rs 350 crore for the programme.

Connectivity and infrastructure development have also been identified as priority areas in the budget. The government has earmarked Rs 914 crore for improving connectivity across the state.

Singh said the government would continue to push initiatives aimed at accelerating economic growth, generating employment-particularly for the youth-and improving the overall quality of life of citizens.

“For the financial year 2026-27, special emphasis has been placed on connectivity, skill development, women entrepreneurship, tourism promotion, drinking water supply, irrigation systems, and infrastructure development in urban and district headquarters,” he told the Assembly.

Revised estimates for the 2025-26 financial year place total receipts at Rs 32,366 crore, including revenue receipts of Rs 22,835 crore and capital receipts of Rs 9,237 crore.

Total expenditure for 2025-26 is estimated at Rs 32,436 crore, comprising revenue expenditure of Rs 20,767 crore and capital outlay of Rs 4,761 crore.

The fiscal deficit for 2025-26 is projected at 5.4 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), while the state’s outstanding debt is estimated at 40 per cent of GSDP.

For 2026-27, however, the fiscal deficit is expected to decline to 2.07 per cent of GSDP, with outstanding debt projected at 39 per cent of the state’s GSDP, Singh added.