New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The government on Tuesday said it has released more than Rs 1,789 crore under the 15th Finance Commission grants to strengthen rural local bodies in five states.

The Centre released Untied Grants for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra during FY 2025–26.

This release covers allocations pertaining to different financial years and aims to further strengthen rural local governance.

In Chhattisgarh, the second installment of Untied Grants amounting to Rs 232.60 crore has been released for all eligible 33 District Panchayats (DPs), 146 Block Panchayats (BPs) and 11,693 Gram Panchayats (GPs).

Additionally, Rs 8.0238 crore of the withheld portion of the first installment have been released to 1 DP, 8 BPs and 350 GPs.

Similarly, Gujarat has received Rs 509.2177 crore as the second installment covering 33 DPs, 247 BPs and 14,563 GPs, along with Rs 14.64 lakh of the withheld portion released to 2 additional GPs, said the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

For Madhya Pradesh, Rs 630.6454 crore have been released as the first installment of Untied Grants for 51 DPs, 296 BPs and 22,914 GPs along with Rs 104.6556 crore of the withheld portion of the 1st and 2nd installments for FY 2023–24 to additionally eligible 21 DPs, 106 BPs and 834 GPs.

Meanwhile, in Telangana, Rs 256.2101 crore have been released as the second installment (for FY 2024–25) covering 12,702 GPs.

Maharashtra has received Rs 151.1856 crores as the withheld portion of the 1st and 2nd installments for FY 2022–23, benefiting 12 DPs, 125 BPs and 324 GPs.

The allocated grants are recommended and released in two installments in a financial year.

The Untied Grants will be utilised by RLBs for location-specific felt needs, 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 faecal sludge management, in particular, and supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting and water recycling.

–IANS

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