Question : Funds Released under Finance Commissions

(a) the details of allocation and release of funds to the State of Telangana under 14th and 15th Finance Commissions during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
(b) whether the entire fund awarded by 14th Finance Commission has not been released, if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to release the entire fund allocated by the 14th Finance Commission to the State of Telangana;
(d) the details of efforts being made by the Ministry to persuade Finance Ministry to release funds under 14th Finance Commission; and
(e) the details of guidelines and permissible activities for Gram Panchayat/Panchayat Samiti/ Zilla Panchayat permissible activities under the 15th Finance Commission Basic (Untied) Grants?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

(SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL)

(a) The details of allocation and release of funds to the State of Telangana under 14th and 15th Finance Commissions during the last three years and the current year, is given in the table below:

(Rs. in crore)
Under 14th Finance Commission Under 15th Finance Commission
FY 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
Allocation Release Allocation Release Allocation Release Allocation Release
Amount 1209.53 1071.59 1628.68 1451.3 1847.00 1847.00 1365.00 682.50


(b) to (d) As 14th Finance Commission award period (2015-20) is over, further funds for Rural Local Bodies under 14th Finance Commission recommendations are not being released by Ministry of Finance. However, the rural local body grants are now being released by the Ministry of Finance as per 15th Finance Commission recommendations for the period 2020-26.

(e) The operational guidelines for the implementation of 15th Finance Commission recommendations on Rural Local Bodies grants during the 2021-22 to 2025-26 has been issued by the Ministry of Finance vide their letter dated 14.07.2021. The guidelines prescribe that the Basic (Untied) Grants can be utilised by the Panchayats for felt needs on 29 subjects enshrined under Schedule XI of the Constitution, except for the salary and other establishment costs. Further, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has issued an advisory dated 23rd August, 2021 to all States communicating indicative items of works/activities that may be taken up by the Panchayats by utilizing Basic (Untied) Grants. These items include National priority areas of Health, Education, Nutrition; immunisation of children; prevention of malnutrition of children; construction and repair of Gram Panchayat Bhawan, roads, foot paths and street lighting etc.

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