Panchayats get 15th finance commission funds; Corona control efforts get a fillip
Money will be spent on drinking water management and water conservation works in panchayats in addition to breaking the Corona spread
KADAPA: While Coronavirus cases have become more prevalent in rural areas than in cities in recent days, panchayats faced a funding problem in curbing the spread of the infection in villages. However, Corona mitigation efforts are gaining momentum with the recent release of funds by the 15th Finance Commission. There, thus, is some relief for the panchayats in terms of funds availability.
For the financial year 2020-21, the 15th finance commission has released Rs 38.40 crore. Of this, 70 per cent, meaning Rs 26.88 crore, would go to panchayats and 15 per cent — or Rs 5.76 crore each — has been released to Mandal Parishats and Zilla Parishat.
Some 90 per cent of the funds is allocated on the basis of population and the remaining 10 per cent is allocated depending on the area. According to the 2011 Census, the district has a population of 19.53 lakhs.
The district has 807 panchayats. For the last two months, due to the lack of governing bodies for the panchayats, the secretaries have taken money on loan for overseeing sanitation, installation of street lights and provision of drinking water facilities. The panchayats’ new governing bodies took charge on the third day of last month.
The funds received by the Zilla Parishads will now be used for the maintenance of community protective water schemes (CPWS) and general drinking water schemes. Money will be spent on drinking water management and water conservation works in panchayats in addition to breaking the Corona spread.
While the 14th Finance Commission funds were allocated to the panchayats, a major share of the amount was adjusted against the electricity bills arrears. As a result, villages without funds under the Mandal and Zilla Parishads could not set up even a single drinking water borehole in their areas.
The 15th Finance Commission has allocated 30 per cent of the funds for these works.
District panchayat officer Dhanireddy Prabhakar Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that Rs 38.40 crore has been sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission. The funds will be spent as per government directives. Steps are being taken to release the funds sanctioned to the district to the Panchayats, Mandal Parishads and Zilla Parishad. The process would be completed soon.