NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry on Saturday, May 8 released Rs 8,923.8 crore in advance to panchayats in 25 states in the wake of the surging COVID-19 wave across the country. The grants are meant for all the three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions that are - district, block and village, the ministry said in a release.
The amount released by the ministry on Saturday is the first instalment of the 'United Grants' for the year 2021-22. It may be used by the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs), among other things, for various prevention and mitigation measures needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it will augment resources to the three tiers of Panchayats to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.
"As per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, the 1stinstalment of untied grants was to be released to the States in the month of June 2021. However, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation and at the recommendation of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Finance has decided to release the grant in advance of the normal schedule." noted the ministry.
It added that the 15th Finance Commission had imposed certain conditions for the release of united grants. The conditions include the online availability of accounts of a certain percentage of RLBs in the public domain. However, taking into account the raging COVID-19 situation in the country, "this condition has been waived for release of the first instalment of untied grants."
The state-wise details of the first instalment of the grant released are as follows: -
HOME
LATEST
NOTIFIED NEWS
POLL
KERALA 
EDITORIAL 
INDIA 
WORLD 
CINEMA 
SPORTS 
LIFESTYLE 
SPECIAL 
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 
| 
