GUNTUR: The Centre has released Rs 988 crore in grants to the State for rural development under the 15th Finance Commission, according to All India Panchayat Parishad Vice President and AP Panchayat Parishad Chairman Dr Jasti Veeranjaneyulu.
The funds include Rs 395 crore in united grants and Rs 593.26 crore in tied grants, designated for nine eligible District Panchayats, 615 eligible Block Panchayats, and 12,853 eligible Gram Panchayats in the State.
He praised Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan for launching the ‘Palle Panduga’ programme, which aims to initiate 30,000 projects worth Rs 4,500 crore across all villages.
This initiative includes the construction of CC roads covering 3,000 km and thar roads covering 500 km, along with agriculture pits, cattle sheds, and percolation pits to enhance groundwater levels. He said under Kalyan’s supervision, AP achieved a world record by conducting grama sabhas in 13,326 villages.