Nagaland Budget: Development outlay increased by INR 190 crore

KOHIMA — The government of Nagaland has increased the state’s development outlay by INR 190 crore, allocating a total of INR 1010 for the financial year 2024-25 against INR 820 crore in the previous year.

The state budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, which was presented by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio during the fourth session of the 14th NLA on Tuesday, showed that non development expenditure accounts for accounts for INR 12163.90 crore of total outlay of INR 23727.88 crore, leaving the total allocation for development activities in the state at INR 1010 crore. (Refer table)

Salaries and wages account for a chunk of non-development expenditure at INR 7277.61crore (estimated), followed by centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) at INR 4304.23 crore and pension at INR 3557.05 crore.

Rio, who also holds the Finance portfolio, termed the budget “people-centric”, introducing a new scheme called Chief Minister’s Universal Life Insurance and allocating funds for construction of the much-needed Foothill Road.

For eastern region: LADP

Stating that the eastern Nagaland continues to lag behind in the critical areas of infrastructure and socio economic development, an amount of INR 180 crore has been sanctioned under PM DevINE for the region.

The CM also announced the enhancement of the LADP fund to INR 2 crore per constituency starting from 2024-25.

New city, innovation

To facilitate acquisition of land for government projects and the development of new city “Naga ki” at Chathe Valley, an amount of INR 150 crore has been earmarked.

A total of INR 40 crore has been earmarked for innovative ideas and INR 12 crore for Special Development Scheme and INR 10 crore for CMCF.

For road maintenance

An amount of INR 30 crore has been earmarked for maintenance of various roads in the state, while INR 50 crore has been allocated to Road and Bridges sector for road improvement, construction and rehabilitation of Bailey Bridge, Special Road Development Programme and construction of a research lab centre at Dimapur.

SP offices in new districts

Under the scheme “Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment’, funds have been earmarked for construction of SP offices in the new districts of Noklak, Shamator, Tseminyu, Niuland and Chümoukedima; NGOs mess for police personnel at Chümoukedima and Phesama as well as construction of housing facilities for police personnel in the urban areas.

For Urban Local Bodies

As recommended by the 3rd Nagaland State Finance Commission for the Urban Local Bodies, INR 17.80 crore has been allocated; INR 3 crore for ULB election and sanitation; and INR 20 lakh to Urban Development dept. for taking up urban road projects.

For Fire and Emergency Services

The Fire and Emergency Services sector was allocated INR 1073.90 lakhs for construction of fire stations, barracks and duty room, staff quarters, establishment of a training centre, procurement of firefighting equipment and appliances, and other works.

Chief Minister’s Micro Finance

Under the Chief Minister’s Micro Finance (CMMF) Initiative, a total of 688 loans have been approved. In the 2024-25 budget, an outlay of INR 30 crore has been allocated for the scheme.

It was also informed that the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) has helped 35,833 beneficiaries avoid out-of pocket expenditure to the tune of INR 82.29 crore since its launch with 38 public hospitals and 23 private hospitals in the state and 48 health centres outside the state being empanelled to help citizens access quality healthcare.

Fund allocation for various sectors

The Rural Development sector has been provided INR 440 lakh for construction and improvement of rural roads, construction of farmers markets and quarters, while the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) has been provided INR 330 lakh, and INR 350 lakh for Land Revenue sector

Several sectors like Bee and Honey, Bamboo Development, Bio Resource and NEPED have been provided INR100 lakh each for development and related activities.

There are also ongoing externally aided projects including Fostering Climate Change Resilient Upland Agriculture System, Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management Project, Nagaland Education Project – Light House, Nagaland Health Project, Urban Infrastructure Development Project, Nagaland Forest Management Project, and Forest & Bio-Diversity Management in the Himalaya.

Sectors with significant increase

The Border Affairs department has been allocated INR 3 crore in FY25 against INR 1.85 crore last year; INR 2 crore for Parliamentary Affairs sector against INR 50 lakh; and INR 3.52 crore for Election department against INR 90.12 lakh in the previous year.

For the Power sector, INR 7.93 creore has been provided for construction of distribution lines and sub-stations, and purchase of distribution transformers and related equipment.

The Transmission and Generation sector has been provided INR 1315.59 lakhs for construction of offices, duty rooms, transformers, towers, testing and commissioning of transmission lines and hydro electric projects, for survey and investigation reports, etc.

To enhance power supply in the state, the Government of India has sanctioned one transmission project in Chümoukedima amounting to INR 13237 lakh under PM-DevINE and INR 2446 lakh for upgrading Nagarjan Sub-Station, Dimapur, under NESIDS.

Sectors with significant decrease

The Health and Family Welfare sector has been provided with INR 7.71 crore for construction of district hospitals, CHCs, PHCs, Sub-Centres, staff quarters and hostels, against INR 21 crore allocated in the previous year.

The Public Health Engineering sector has been allocated INR 330 lakh this time ahainst INR 3367.99 lakh in FY24, while PWD Housing sector has been allotted INR 1,628.29 lakh, down from INR 3367.99 lakh earmarked in the previous budget. The fund allocation for G.A. Housing sector has also reduced from INR 2505.49 lakh in FY24 to 1,816.17 lakh.

Also read: Nagaland Chief Minister presents INR 905.78 crore deficit budget