The Union Government has disbursed over ₹620 crore under the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Grants for the financial year 2024-25 to rural local bodies in Maharashtra. The amount includes the second installment of Untied Grants totaling ₹611.69 crore and ₹8.42 crore from the withheld portion of the first installment of Untied Grants.
The funds will be allocated to four eligible District Panchayats, 40 eligible Block Panchayats, and 21,551 eligible Gram Panchayats in Maharashtra. The grants aim to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) by providing financial assistance to meet location-specific developmental needs, except for salary and establishment costs.
According to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Tied Grants can be utilized for critical services such as sanitation, maintaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, managing household waste, human excreta, and fecal sludge treatment. Additionally, the funds will support drinking water supply projects, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling initiatives.
The XV Finance Commission Grants are recommended by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) and released by the Ministry of Finance in two installments annually.
The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Panchayat Se Viksit Bharat, emphasizing grassroots democracy and accelerating rural transformation across the country.
