Chandigarh: The Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab, in the meeting with the 16th Finance Commission, sought increased funding for the development of local bodies in the state.
In its presentation, the department highlighted its key focus areas, including Groundwater Recharge, Wastewater Management, Solid Waste Management, Sustainable Energy, and Maintenance of Community Assets,
These initiatives aim to ensure robust and sustainable growth for rural communities in Punjab, improving their quality of life while aligning with national and international sustainability goals (SDG and Net Zero).
While presenting the the case, ACS Rural Development and Panchayats Alok Shekhar has requested the 16th Finance Commission to provide additional grants worth Rs 10,000 crore, comprising Rs 8,000 crore as tied funds and Rs 2,000 crore as untied grants, to support critical initiatives taken by the department.
This funding will be instrumental in driving rural development and sustainability in Punjab, and the department looks forward to a positive response from the Finance Commission.
During the interaction with the team members of Finance Commission, Former Sarpanch of Village Manak Khana (Bathinda) Shushandeep Kaur Sidhu, Former Sarpanch of village Chhina (Gurdaspur) Panthpreet Singh and former Sarpanch of village Chahar (Sangrur) Pritam Singh shared the ground level challenges and requested for assistance from the Finance Commission to meet the same.