The Centre has released the first installment of the Fifteenth Finance Commission grants for the ongoing financial year to the Rural Local Bodies in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. Panchayati Raj Ministry said that Andhra Pradesh has received united grants close to 396 crore rupees and tied grants around 593 crore rupees. It also noted that the funds are for duly elected nine eligible District Panchayats, 615 eligible Block Panchayats and 12 thousand 853 eligible gram panchayats in Andhra Pradesh.

The Ministry said that Rajasthan has got united grants of close to 507 crore rupees and tied grants of nearly 761 crore rupees for the duly elected 22 eligible District Panchayats, 287 eligible Block Panchayats and 9068 eligible Gram Panchayats in the state.

The Ministry also mentioned that the united grants will enable Panchayats to address specific local needs across 29 subjects under Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, ranging from agriculture and rural housing to education and sanitation. Meanwhile, the tied grants will focus on core services such as sanitation, maintenance of open-defecation free status and water management.