Bhubaneswar: The Union government has released the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) grants for rural local bodies (RLBs) in Odisha for the financial year 2025–26, totalling over Rs 444 crore.
The release includes the second instalment of Untied Grants amounting to Rs 342.60 crore, benefiting 20 zilla parishads (ZPs), 296 panchayat samitis (PSes), and 6,734 gram panchayats (GPs) across the state.
In addition, 101.78 crore, representing the withheld portion of the first instalment of United Grants for FY 2025–26, has been released to 20 ZPs, 233 PSes, and 649 GPs.
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The grants, recommended by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation), are aimed at strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions and RLBs.
The Ministry of Finance releases these grants in two instalments each financial year.
Untied Grants can be used by PRIs and RLBs to meet location-specific needs under the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule, excluding salaries and establishment costs.
However, Tied Grants are meant for essential services such as sanitation, waste management, maintenance of ODF status, drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling.
