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Uttarakhand Gets Rs 91 Crore Central Grant to Boost Panchayat Development

The Central Government has released Rs 91.31 crore as an untied grant to Uttarakhand for its Panchayati Raj Institutions for the 2025-26 financial year. The funds, approved under the Fifteenth Finance Commission, will benefit all district panchayats, development blocks, and eligible gram panchayats across the state. This grant is intended to strengthen the panchayat system and support local, need-based development projects. The release follows recent state government efforts, including the construction of over 800 panchayat buildings under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's tenure.

Key Points: Rs 91 Crore Central Grant for Uttarakhand Panchayats

  • Rs 91.31 crore untied grant released
  • Funds for 7,784 Gram Panchayats
  • Part of 15th Finance Commission
  • To strengthen local governance
  • Supports rural development initiatives
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Uttarakhand govt receives Rs 91.31 crore untied grant from Centre to strengthen Panchayati Raj and Rural Development

Centre releases Rs 91.31 crore untied grant to Uttarakhand's Panchayati Raj institutions for local development and strengthening rural governance.

"this grant will further strengthen the panchayat system and support need-based local development - CMO Release"

Dehradun, March 31

The Central Government has approved and released funds under the Fifteenth Finance Commission's "Untied" grant for Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Local Bodies in Uttarakhand for the financial year 2025-26, as per a CMO release.

According to the release, this grant will further strengthen the panchayat system and support need-based local development initiatives within Panchayati Raj institutions.

Under the second installment of the Untied grant, the Centre has released Rs 91.31 crore for Uttarakhand. This will benefit all 13 District Panchayats, 95 Development Blocks, and 7,784 eligible Gram Panchayats. In addition, Rs 1.84 crore has been released for 216 eligible Gram Panchayats from the withheld portion of the first installment of the Untied grant for the financial year 2025-26.

It is noteworthy that the Government of India, through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation), recommends the release of grants under the Fifteenth Finance Commission for Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Local Bodies. Based on these recommendations, the Ministry of Finance releases the funds.

Earlier this month, Uttarakhand Minister Satpal Maharaj in assembly informed that during the four years of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's second tenure, 819 Panchayat buildings have been constructed or reconstructed across the state

CM Dhami had directed the Panchayati Raj Department to launch a special campaign to rebuild these deteriorated buildings. Following these directions, the department has constructed or reconstructed 819 Panchayat buildings over the past four years, while work on the remaining buildings is still underway.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good news for rural development. Building panchayat offices is one thing, but I hope this 'untied' grant is actually used for what villagers need most—like better healthcare sub-centres and digital connectivity. The focus should be on outcomes, not just construction.
R
Rohit P
Rs 91 crore sounds like a lot, but divided among nearly 8000 gram panchayats? That's roughly 1.1 lakh per panchayat. Hope it's supplemented with state funds for meaningful projects. The intent is good, execution needs monitoring.
M
Meera T
As someone from a Uttarakhand village, a proper panchayat building makes a huge difference. It becomes a real centre for community work. Glad to see focus on both infrastructure and flexible funds. Hope women's self-help groups get priority in deciding how to use this grant.
D
David E
Interesting model of fiscal devolution. The 'untied' aspect is crucial for local governance. Hope there's a transparent portal where each panchayat's spending is listed for public scrutiny. That would build real trust in the system.
A
Anjali F
This is the way forward for our villages. When panchayats have funds and power, development is faster. But a gentle criticism: the article only mentions buildings and funds. What about training for elected representatives, especially the many women members, to manage these resources effectively? That's equally important.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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