The Union Government has allocated more than Rs 723 crore in grants to enhance rural local bodies in Rajasthan and Jharkhand. This funding is part of the initial installment of untied grants for the fiscal year 2025-26 under the 15th Finance Commission. In Rajasthan, Rs 303.0419 crore has been disbursed for 24 district panchayats, 339 block panchayats, and 3,857 gram panchayats. Additionally, Rs 145.24 crore from the withheld portion of grants for FY2024-25 has been released for eligible rural bodies in Rajasthan.
In Jharkhand, the government has released Rs 275.1253 crore as the first installment of Untied Grants for FY 2024-25. This amount is designated for 24 district panchayats, 253 block panchayats, and 4,342 gram panchayats across the state. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti recommend the release of these grants to states for panchayati raj institutions, which are then disbursed by the Ministry of Finance in two installments per financial year.
These grants, known as Untied Grants, can be utilized by Panchayati Raj institutions and rural local bodies to address specific needs under the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule, excluding salaries and establishment costs. They can be used for services like sanitation, maintenance of ODF status, drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling. The government had previously released funds for rural bodies in Assam and Odisha under the 15th Finance Commission grants.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has introduced various initiatives to enhance local governance, including SabhaSaar for recording Gram Sabha proceedings, SVAMITVA for digital land mapping, eGramSwaraj for online planning, accounting, and monitoring, and Gram Manchitra for geo-spatial planning. These platforms aim to boost transparency, efficiency, and citizen participation in local governance.
