Imphal, March 14, 2026 — Retired IRS officer K. Timothy Zimik has submitted a comprehensive 36-page policy memorandum to Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand and the Governor, strongly advocating for a separate budget mechanism exclusively for the hill areas in the upcoming 2026–27 state budget.
Zimik, a former Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, and NDA candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Outer Manipur (ST) constituency, handed over the detailed document on March 10, 2026. In the memorandum, he underscores the urgent need for equitable and transparent allocation of developmental resources to bridge the longstanding disparities between the Imphal Valley and the hill districts.
Central to Zimik’s submission is the demand for an independent budget framework for the hill areas. He argues that this step is essential to ensure fair fund distribution, promote inclusive governance, and address structural inequalities that have persisted since Manipur’s statehood. Congratulating the Chief Minister on assuming office, Zimik emphasised that the state budget must incorporate voices from professionals, stakeholders, and the public at large for truly participatory development.
The memorandum critically examines a 2021 state government committee (constituted vide Notification No. FBUD-9/16/2021-e-FD dated August 25, 2021), which had submitted a “White Paper” on October 28, 2021, recommending a Tribal Sub-Plan model similar to those adopted by the Central government and other states. Zimik describes the committee’s findings and claims on hill expenditures as “faulty and unsubstantiated.” He provides a detailed counter-analysis in Annexure-8 of his memorandum, drawing on official budgetary documents and grants from 2016–17 to 2025–26.
Using data-driven evidence, Zimik highlights stark imbalances: the Imphal Valley, which accounts for 57.2% of the state’s population but only 10% of its geographical area, has consistently received 80–97% of capital expenditure. In contrast, the hill areas—home to the remaining population and 90% of the land—have been allocated just 3–20%. Specific examples cited include:
* 2016–17: Valley received ₹3,337 crore out of ₹4,056 crore total (82%)
* 2018–19: 85% to valley
* 2024–25: 93% to valley
* 2025–26: 97% to valley
These figures, he contends, have widened infrastructure and economic gaps, leaving hill regions underdeveloped.
To rectify this, Zimik proposes adopting the objective criteria used by the 15th Finance Commission for resource distribution within the state. The six parameters and their suggested weights are:
1. Income distance (45%) — to support regions with lower per capita income
2. Population (15%) — based on 2011 Census
3. Geographical area (15%) — accounting for higher administrative costs in larger territories
4. Forest and ecology (10%) — recognising restrictions in forested areas
5. Demographic performance (12.5%) — rewarding population management
6. Tax and fiscal effort (2.5%) — encouraging revenue generation
He further recommends instituting a separate hill budget with dedicated accounts, district-wise allocation based on the same criteria, and direct grants to hill village authorities (on the lines of Panchayati Raj institutions) for effective grassroots implementation of schemes in remote areas.
Zimik frames these reforms as critical not only for economic justice but also for long-term peace and prosperity in Manipur. “Under the present conditions prevailing in Manipur, there is simply no hope of a better future for the hill people,” he had stated in earlier representations on similar issues. The latest memorandum aligns with his ongoing advocacy, including a detailed petition to President Droupadi Murmu in October 2025 that prompted the Centre to direct the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Expenditure to examine the matter.
The submission comes at a time when preparations for the 2026–27 Manipur Budget are underway and amid continued public discourse on valley-hill developmental equity. Stakeholders in the hill districts have welcomed the move, viewing it as a concrete policy roadmap for addressing historical grievances.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Chief Minister’s Office or the Governor’s Secretariat on the memorandum. The development is expected to feature prominently in upcoming assembly debates and budget discussions.
For More News Updates Follow Us On www.tconews.in
