Centre Allocates ₹94.236 Crore to Enhance Rural Local Bodies in Uttarakhand

Financial Support for Rural Development

New Delhi, Dec 19: The Indian government has allocated ₹94.236 crore to bolster rural local bodies in Uttarakhand for the fiscal year 2025-26, as per a statement from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj released on Friday.

This funding includes the second installment of Untied Grants for the financial year 2024-25, totaling ₹94.10 crore, which will benefit all 13 district panchayats, 95 block panchayats, and 7,784 gram panchayats in the state. Additionally, ₹13.60 lakh has been released for the withheld portion of the first installment of Untied Grants for FY 2024-25 to 15 additional gram panchayats.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, along with the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation), recommends the release of XV Finance Commission Grants for Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), which are subsequently disbursed by the Ministry of Finance in two installments each financial year.

Untied Grants are intended for use by Rural Local Bodies and PRIs to address specific local needs across the 29 subjects outlined in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, excluding expenditures on salaries and other administrative costs. In contrast, Tied Grants are designated for essential services related to sanitation and maintaining Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status, including the management of household waste, human excreta, and fecal sludge, as well as the provision of drinking water, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling.

Earlier in November, the Centre had released over ₹223 crore for rural local bodies in Assam and an additional ₹444.38 crore to enhance panchayati bodies in Odisha as part of the 15th Finance Commission grants.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has introduced several initiatives, including SabhaSaar—an AI-driven tool for documenting and summarizing Gram Sabha meetings, SVAMITVA for digital land mapping and property rights, and eGramSwaraj for comprehensive online planning, accounting, and monitoring.

Additionally, Gram Manchitra has been launched for geo-spatial planning. These platforms aim to enhance transparency and efficiency while empowering citizens to engage more actively in local governance.