The Union Government has sanctioned and released the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Untied Grants during FY 2025–26 to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Goa and Maharashtra. Under this tranche, for Maharashtra, the withheld portion of the 1st instalment of XV FC Untied Grants for FY 2024–25, amounting to Rs. 79.82 crores, has been released for 12 eligible District Panchayats (DPs), 125 eligible Block Panchayats (BPs) and 27 eligible Gram Panchayats (GPs).
Further, Rs. 221.82 crores, representing the withheld portion of the 2nd instalment of Untied Grants for FY 2024–25, has also been released to additionally 12 DPs, 125 BPs and 5249 GPs in the State.
The Union Government has also released tied grants forMaharashtra for FY 2023–24. This includes the withheld portion of the 1st instalment of XV Finance Commission (XV FC) grants, amounting to Rs. 159.32 crores, for additionally 12 eligible DPs, 125 eligible BPs and 1120 eligible GPs. Further, Rs. 118.69 crores, being the withheld portion of the 2nd instalment, has also been released to additionally eligible 12 DPs, 125 BPs and 183 GPs.
While for Goa, the 1st instalment of Untied Grants for FY 2024–25, amounting to Rs. 12.40 crores have been released, covering 2 eligible District Panchayats (DPs) and all 191 eligible Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the State.
Government of India through Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) recommends release of XV-FC grants to States for Rural Local Bodies which is then released by Ministry of Finance.
The allocated grants are recommended and released in 2 installments in a financial year. The Untied Grants will be utilized by Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Rural Local Bodies for location-specific felt needs, under the twenty-nine subjects enshrined in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, except for salaries and other establishment costs. The Tied Grants can be used for the basic services of (a) sanitation and maintenance of ODF status, and this should include management and treatment of household waste, and human excreta and fecal sludge management in particular and (b) supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting and water recycling.
