The Centre on Friday announced the release of over Rs 137 crore to strengthen rural local bodies in Goa, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Uttarakhand during FY 2025-26.

The release covers allocations pertaining to different financial years as part of the 15th Finance Commission’s untied grants.

A sum of Rs 11.6 crores has been released for Goa as the second instalment of untied grants for FY 2023-24 for 2 eligible district panchayats and 191 eligible gram panchayats.

Further Rs 2.98 crores, representing the withheld portion of the first instalment for FY 2023-24, have been released for two additionally eligible district panchayats and 24 gram panchayats.

For Meghalaya, the Union government has released Rs 27 crores as the second instalment of untied grants for FY 2021-22, covering all three eligible Autonomous District Councils of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia.

In the case of Sikkim, Rs 6.6 crores has been released as the second instalment of untied grants for FY 2025-26, benefiting 6 eligible district panchayats and 199 general panchayats.

In addition, over Rs 0.16 crores, representing the withheld portion of the first instalment for FY 2025-26, has also been released to one additional eligible District Panchayat in the State.

Also, Rs 89.41 crores have been released for Uttarakhand as the first instalment of United Grants for FY 2025-26.

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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 15th Finance Commission grants to states for panchayati raj institutions, which are then released by the Ministry of Finance.

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

Untied Grants may be utilised by panchayati raj institutions and rural local bodies to meet location-specific needs under the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule, excluding salaries and establishment costs.

Tied grants can be used for the basic services of sanitation and maintenance of ODF (open defecation-free) status, and this should include management and treatment of household waste, and, human excreta and faecal sludge management in particular.

These grants can also be used for the supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting and water recycling.