the goan I network
PANAJI
Panchayats in Goa are in for a financial boost this year with the15th Finance Commission allocating Rs 75 crore in the current 2020-21 financial year to be distributed to these rural self-governing bodies, more than double of what they got last year.
However, Municipalities have been allocated on Rs 36 crore, much lower than what they had got last year. In comparison to the grants allocated by the 14th Finance Commission’s under this head for the year 2019-20, this year’s allocations are a whopping 107.64% higher.
Also in comparison to other States vis-a-vis the 14th Finance Commission grants for the year 2019-20, Goa has got the highest allocation of grants for rural local bodies, among all States just below Tripura and Manipur.
However, for the urban local bodies the grants recommended by the 15th Finance Commission for the year 2020-21 is only Rs 36 crore as against Rs 52.76 crore given by the 14th Finance Commission recommendation award for the year 2019-20. This represents a shortfall of nearly 47 per cent.
The increase in the grants for rural local bodies is due to proper utilisation of funds at Village Panchayat level.
Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (GIPARD) with Chief Secretary Parimal Rai as a chairman has taken concerted efforts to encourage people’s participatory processes at panchayat level which kept Goa on higher ranks in rural development fund utilisation.
It may be noted that the total grants to local bodies for 2020-21 has been fixed at Rs 90,000 crore, of which Rs 60,750 crore is recommended for rural local bodies (67.5%) and Rs 29,250 crore for urban local bodies (32.5%). The grants are divided between States based on population and area in the ratio 90:10. Goa’s share is Rs 3,301 crore.
