Centre Releases ₹224.57 Cr Untied Grants to Strengthen PRIs in Chhattisgarh

This funding will support 11,279 eligible Gram Panchayats, 138 Block Panchayats, and 26 District Panchayats across the State.

The Union Government has released the first instalment of United Grants for FY 2025–26, amounting to ₹224.5762 crore, under the 15th Finance Commission (XV FC) for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Chhattisgarh. This funding will support 11,279 eligible Gram Panchayats, 138 Block Panchayats, and 26 District Panchayats across the State.

The grants were recommended jointly by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation), and subsequently released by the Ministry of Finance. As per XV FC norms, each State receives funds in two installments annually to strengthen local self-governance and ensure inclusive rural development.

Purpose and Utilisation of Untied & Tied Grants

The Untied Grants empower Panchayats to address location-specific felt needs across the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, excluding salaries or establishment expenses. This flexibility enables PRIs/RLBs to focus on locally relevant development priorities such as rural roads, markets, agriculture support services, social welfare, and natural resource management.

The Tied Grants, on the other hand, are dedicated to essential civic services, including:

• Sanitation, solid-liquid waste management, and sustaining ODF (Open Defecation Free) status

• Drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling initiatives

Together, these grants strengthen grassroots planning, improve service delivery, and support rural resilience and sustainability.

Boost to Local Governance and Development Planning

|This release marks another step in empowering Chhattisgarh’s Panchayati Raj Institutions through predictable fiscal support. By enabling Panchayats to undertake infrastructure, sanitation, water management, and community development works, the Union Government seeks to deepen decentralised governance and ensure rural areas benefit from timely, need-based interventions.