Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: THE Union Government has released over Rs 730 crore under the 15th Finance Commission (XV-FC) grants to strengthen Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in the states of Gujarat and Haryana for the financial year 2025–26.
According to an official statement, Gujarat has received the second instalment of Untied Grants for FY 2024–25 amounting to Rs522.20 crore. The funds have been released to all 38 district panchayats, 247 eligible block panchayats, and 14,547 eligible gram panchayats across the state.
Additionally, Rs13.5989 crore from the withheld portion of the first instalment of Untied Grants for FY 2024–25 has been released to six district panchayats, five block panchayats, and 78 gram panchayats that have now become eligible. For Haryana, the Union Government has released the first instalment of Untied Grants for FY 2025– 26, amounting to Rs 195.129 crore. The grant covers 18 district panchayats, 134 block panchayats, and 6,164 gram panchayats in the state. The XV Finance Commission grants are recommended jointly by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) and are disbursed by the Ministry of Finance in two installments each financial year.
These grants aim to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies to address local developmental needs under the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, excluding salaries and establishment costs. While Untied Grants can be used to meet location-specific needs identified by local bodies, Tied Grants are earmarked for basic services such as sanitation, maintenance of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, waste management, faecal sludge treatment, supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling.