GPs prepare requirement charts for FC funds

​Hyderabad: Swachh Bharat, procurement of LED lights, purchase of computers and salaries of computer operators are the new items on the agendas of gram panchayats to be submitted to the 15th Central Finance Commission for funds. 

The staff of the gram panchayats have been preparing list of requirements of their villages to submit to the 15th Finance Commission for allocation of grants from 2020 to 2025.  They have been specifically told to add Swachh Bharat programmes, purchase of computers, salaries of computer operators and procurement of LED lights in their five-year plan for grants. 

They have been told to emphasize on Swachh Bharat programme by projecting the spending up to 50 per cent. The plans would be submitted to the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department of the Union government through the State government. In turn, the Union PR and RD Department would forward them to the Finance Commission which would review the plans and make allocations as per the guidelines of the Centre. The Finance Commission determines the funds to be given to the rural and urban local bodies directly in the form of grants. 

The State has been given about Rs 4,000 crore to rural local bodies, zilla parishads, mandal parishads and gram panchayats during the 14th Finance Commission period from 2015 to 2020. As much as a minimum of Rs 6 lakh have been given to each panchayat. In the past four years, the RLBs have received about Rs 800 crore per each year through the CFC grants and they have been utilised for running gram panchayat offices, sanitation, supply of drinking water and others. 

The Telangana Panchayat Secretaries Forum president Parvatalu said the villages had received funds as per the population. Villages with large population received over  `20 lakh each year. He said that they had been asked to prepare details of the works like buildings required in villages, CC roads, motor pumps to be bought, staff required on temporary basis for water supply, sanitation and for other works. 

The gram panchayats would have direct control on these funds. The sarpanch and the panchayat secretary have been authorised to draw the funds and spend. The 15th Finance Commission has begun the process of consultations on devolution of funds. It would give its recommendations to the Centre the next year. 

The State government has also appointed Finance Commission, and this would also ensure devolution of funds to the urban and rural local bodies, in addition to the Central Finance Commission grants. An official of the Panchayat Raj Department said the reports would be received from all the gram panchayats by the end of this month. The department has asked revision of some plans.