Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 31 (ANI): The Central Government has approved and released funds under the Fifteenth Finance Commission's 'Untied' grant for Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Local Bodies in Uttarakhand for the financial year 2025-26, as per a CMO release.

According to the release, this grant will further strengthen the panchayat system and support need-based local development initiatives within Panchayati Raj institutions.

Under the second installment of the Untied grant, the Centre has released Rs 91.31 crore for Uttarakhand. This will benefit all 13 District Panchayats, 95 Development Blocks, and 7,784 eligible Gram Panchayats. In addition, Rs 1.84 crore has been released for 216 eligible Gram Panchayats from the withheld portion of the first installment of the Untied grant for the financial year 2025-26.

It is noteworthy that 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 grants under the Fifteenth Finance Commission for Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Local Bodies. Based on these recommendations, the Ministry of Finance releases the funds.

Earlier this month, Uttarakhand Minister Satpal Maharaj in assembly informed that during the four years of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's second tenure, 819 Panchayat buildings have been constructed or reconstructed across the state

CM Dhami had directed the Panchayati Raj Department to launch a special campaign to rebuild these deteriorated buildings. Following these directions, the department has constructed or reconstructed 819 Panchayat buildings over the past four years, while work on the remaining buildings is still underway. (ANI)