Centre releases 15th Finance Commission grant for rural local bodies in Karnataka

New Delhi: The Centre has released the first instalment of the 15th Finance Commission grants for FY 2024-25 to the rural local bodies (RLBs) in Karnataka, the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry said in a statement.

The funds are meant for all the 5,949 eligible gram panchayats in the state, it added.

"The Government of India through the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Jal Shakti recommends the release of XV-FC grants to the Rural Local Bodies which are then released by the Ministry of Finance. The allocated grants are recommended and released in two installments in a financial year," the statement said.

The grants will be utilised by the RLBs for location-specific requirements under the 29 subjects enshrined in the 11th Schedule of the Constitution, except for salaries and other establishment costs, it added.

The 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, the statement read.

It added that the Government of India is taking strong steps to strengthen rural self-governance by providing the 15th Finance Commission grants to the panchayati raj institutions and rural local bodies.