Bengal gets Rs 680.71 cr from Centre

Kolkata: The Union government has released an amount of Rs 680.71 crore as the first instalment of Untied (Basic) Grants under the 15th Finance Commission for Rural Local Bodies (RLBs)/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) of Bengal for the financial year 2025-26.

The release was made on October 6, in respect of the eligible 3,224 Gram Panchayats, 335 Block Panchayats and 21 Zilla Parishads across the state.

“During the previous financial year 2024-25 and current financial year 2025-26, a total amount of Rs 4,181.23 crore was recommended and released to Bengal, comprising Rs 2,082.13 crore as Untied Grants and Rs 2,099.10 crore as Tied Grants, underlining the Government of India’s continued commitment to strengthening grassroots governance and service delivery through Panchayati Raj Institutions in the state,” a Press release from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj read. Untied Grants from 15th FC provide RLBs with the flexibility to address location-specific development needs across the 29 subjects of the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, excluding salaries and establishment costs. These funds support initiatives such as road and footpath construction and maintenance, LED and solar street lighting, etc.