New Delhi, Nov 3 – The Indian government just released a fresh wave of funding to help rural communities in Odisha get their local governments off the ground. The Union cabinet has disbursed ₹444.38 crore as part of the 15th Finance Commission grants for the 2025–26 fiscal year, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj said.
The money comes in two chunks. First, the second instalment of the Untied Grants – ₹34.26 crore – was sent to 20 district panchayats, 296 block panchayats and 6,734 gram panchayats that met eligibility criteria. Second, the government also released ₹10.18 crore, the withheld portion of the first instalment, to the same 20 district bodies, 233 block bodies and 649 gram bodies.
Untied Grants are meant to let local councils spend on anything that helps their communities, from building schools and roads to improving water supplies. These funds can cover the 29 services listed in the Eleventh Schedule – except salaries and core operating costs. Tied grants, on the other hand, focus on sanitation, waste management, and keeping areas open‑defecation‑free. The money also goes to drinking‑water projects, rainwater harvesting and water‑recycling initiatives.
The Ministry of Finance awards these grants twice a year, following recommendations from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti. By letting rural bodies decide how best to use the money, the government hopes to boost local development.
Alongside the cash injections, the ministry rolled out a suite of digital tools to make village meetings and planning easier. SabhaSaar is an AI‑powered app that records and summarizes gram sabha sessions. SVAMITVA lets residents map land ownership and property rights online. eGramSwaraj offers a single portal for planning, accounting and monitoring. Finally, Gram Manchitra supplies geo‑spatial data for better land and resource management. These platforms are designed to cut red tape, increase transparency and let citizens have a bigger say in their local governments.
Source: ianslive
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