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Centre Releases Rs 224 Crore to Empower Chhattisgarh's Rural Local Bodies

The Central Government has released the first instalment of untied grants for the 2025-26 financial year, amounting to over Rs 224 crore, to Panchayati Raj Institutions in Chhattisgarh. This funding is allocated to 11,279 Gram Panchayats, 138 Block Panchayats, and 26 District Panchayats for addressing local development priorities. The untied grants are specifically for location-specific needs and cannot be used for salaries or establishment costs. This release follows similar recent grants to Rajasthan and Jharkhand, underscoring a continued focus on strengthening rural local governance across states.

Key Points: Rs 224 Cr Released for Chhattisgarh Rural Bodies | 15th Finance Commission

  • Rs 224.57 cr for Chhattisgarh PRIs
  • Funds for 11,279 Gram Panchayats
  • First instalment for FY 2025-26
  • Part of 15th Finance Commission grants
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Centre releases over Rs 224 crore to empower rural local bodies in Chhattisgarh

Central govt releases Rs 224.57 crore as untied grants to over 11,000 panchayats in Chhattisgarh for local development needs in FY 2025-26.

"The Untied Grants will be utilised... for location-specific felt needs - Ministry of Panchayati Raj"

New Delhi, Dec 31

The Central government on Wednesday released Rs 224.5762 crore for Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Local Bodies in Chhattisgarh as the first instalment of Untied Grants of the financial year 2025-26 under the 15th Finance Commission.

These funds are meant for 11,279 eligible Gram Panchayats, 138 eligible Block Panchayats and 26 eligible District Panchayats of the State, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj said.

The government, through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, recommends the release of 15th Finance Commission grants to states for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Rural Local Bodies (RLBs), which is then released by the Ministry of Finance.

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

The Untied Grants will be utilised by Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Rural Local Bodies (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 supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling.

Last week, the government released over Rs 723 crore as grants to strengthen the rural local bodies in Rajasthan and Jharkhand as part of the first instalment of untied grants for the financial year 2025-26 under the 15th Finance Commission.

The first instalment of Untied Grants for FY2025-26, amounting to Rs 303.0419 crore for Rajasthan, has been released for the eligible 24 district panchayats, 339 block panchayats, and 3,857 gram panchayats of the state. Further, Rs 145.24 crore of the withheld portion of the first and second instalments of untied grants for FY2024-25 has also been released to additionally eligible rural local bodies in Rajasthan.

In the case of Jharkhand, the Union government has released the first instalment of Untied Grants for FY 2024-25 amounting to Rs 275.1253 crore for all eligible 24 district panchayats, 253 eligible block panchayats, and 4,342 eligible gram panchayats across the state.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Good to see central funds being allocated for local governance. Empowering Panchayats is key to real development. Hope they use it wisely for infrastructure and clean water projects.
V
Vikram M
Releasing funds is one thing, but ensuring proper utilization is another. There needs to be strict monitoring and social audits by villagers themselves. Too often, such grants disappear into thin air. Let's hope for better accountability this time.
P
Priya S
As someone from a small town, I've seen how funds for 'felt needs' can transform a village - a new community hall, repaired roads, better street lighting. This is how development should reach the grassroots. All the best to the Panchayats!
M
Michael C
Interesting to see the scale - over 11,000 Gram Panchayats in one state. The administrative challenge of distributing and tracking this must be huge. Hopefully, digital governance tools are being used to ensure transparency.
R
Rohit P
The focus on maintaining ODF status and water recycling is crucial. Many villages achieved open defecation free status, but sustaining it requires continuous funds for maintenance. This grant should help. Jal Jeevan Mission and this need to work together.

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