The Union Government has released Fifteenth Finance Commission Grants during Financial Year 2024–25 for the Rural Local Bodies in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
It was the 2nd installment of Untied Grants amounting to Rs 1598.80 crore for Uttar Pradesh and Rs 420.9989 crore for Andhra Pradesh.
The Centre has also released the withheld amount of 1st installment of Untied Grants for Financial Year 2024-25 amounting to Rs 25.4898 crore for Andhra Pradesh.
In Uttar Pradesh, these funds are for all eligible 75 District Panchayats, 826 Block Panchayats and 57,691 Gram Panchayats of the state. While for Andhra Pradesh, these funds are for eligible 13,097 duly elected Gram Panchayats, 650 duly elected Block Panchayats and all 13 eligible District Panchayats of the State.
The Government of India is channeling the Fifteenth Finance Commission Grants directly to Panchayati Raj Institutions /Rural Local Bodies, transforming the landscape of rural local governance.
This strategic financial empowerment is revolutionising local administration, fostering accountability, and nurturing self-reliance at the village level.
It is to be noted that the Untied Grants will be utilised by Panchayati Raj Institutions/Rural Local Bodies for location-specific felt needs, under the 29 subjects enshrined in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, except for salaries and other establishment costs.
The Tied Grants can be used for the basic services of sanitation and maintenance of ODF status, and this should include management and treatment of household waste, and human excreta and fecal sludge management in particular, and supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting and water recycling.