GULBARGA: The budgetary allocations for panchayat raj institutions in the State have been increased substantially following the transfer of financial powers to them. The allocations under both plan and non-plan heads are higher compared with the previous year.

Official sources told The Hindu here on Friday the increase in allocations for zilla, taluk and gram panchayats in the State for 2006-07 is Rs. 551.70 crores under the plan head and Rs. 740.71 crores under the non-plan head compared with the previous year's allocations. Sources said the allocation for panchayats, which is Rs. 2,880.29 crores under the plan head in 2005-06, has increased to Rs. 3431.99 crores for 2006-07. Under the non-plan head, it is Rs. 3,962.46 crores in 2005-06 and Rs. 4,703.17 crores in 2006-07.

Sources said the allocation for gram panchayats, which has increased every year in the past three years, has surpassed that for zilla panchayats under the plan head. It has been gone up from Rs. 964 crores in 2005-2006 to Rs. 1,230.68 crores for 2006-07. Zilla panchayats have been provided Rs. 1,225.63 crores for 2006-2007 compared with Rs. 1,151.80 crores in 2005-06.

Funds for taluk panchayats have increased from Rs. 763.53 crores in 2005-06 to Rs. 975.67 crores for 2006-07 under the plan head. Under the non-plan head for 2006-2007, zilla panchayats have been allocated Rs. 1,620.36 crores (Rs. 1,286 crores in 2005-2006) and taluk panchayats Rs. 2,958.49 crores (Rs. 2676.34 crores in 2005-06). Gram panchayats have not been given funds under the non-plan head.

Sources said under the State sector, panchayats have been granted Rs. 2,176.18 crores (Rs. 2,002.90 crores in 2005-2006). Under the Central head, the allocation is Rs. 1,255.81 crores (Rs. 877.39 crores).

A major portion of Central sector funds has gone to gram panchayats — Rs. 615.40 crores. Zilla panchayats have been granted Rs. 269.17 crores and taluk panchayats Rs. 371.24 crores.

Among the districts, for the first time, Gulbarga has got the highest allocation for panchayats under the plan head (Rs. 242.36 crores) and Belgaum the second highest allocation (Rs. 226.44 crores).

Under the non-plan head, Belgaum has the highest allocation (Rs. 364.28 crores) and Gulbarga the second highest (Rs. 303.67 crores).

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail