Haryana, Tripura, and Mizoram to Receive Funds for Strengthening Rural Local Bodies

The Union government has announced the release of the 15th Finance Commission Grants for the financial year 2024–25, benefiting the rural local bodies in Haryana, Tripura, and Mizoram, as confirmed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

In Haryana, the Panchayati Raj institutions have received untied grants totaling Rs 194.867 crore as part of the first installment. This funding is distributed among 18 eligible district panchayats, 139 block panchayats, and 5,911 gram panchayats that met the necessary criteria for the release of funds.

Tripura’s rural local bodies have been allocated Rs 31.40 crore in untied grants and Rs 47.10 crore in tied grants in their first installment. This funding supports all 1,260 rural local bodies, including the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, 40 block advisory committees, and 587 village committees.

For Mizoram, the fifteenth Finance Commission has released funds as part of the second installment for the financial year 2022–23, which includes Rs 14.20 crore in untied grants and Rs 21.30 crore in tied grants. These grants are designated for all 834 village councils, including those in Autonomous District Council areas.

The untied grants are intended for rural local bodies to address specific needs within the 29 subjects outlined in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, but they cannot be used for salaries or other establishment costs. Conversely, the tied grants can be allocated for basic sanitation services, maintaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, managing household waste, and treatment of human excreta and fecal sludge. They also cover drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling initiatives.

The overarching goal of the Fifteenth Finance Commission grants is to enhance rural local self-governance by empowering these bodies. This financial support aims to build their capacity, accountability, and self-reliance, contributing to sustainable development in rural regions. Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Viswas, Sabka Prayas’, this initiative promotes inclusive growth and participatory democracy, which are essential for the country's development.

The release of these grants is managed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation), with the Ministry of Finance overseeing the distribution to states.

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