GOVERNMENTOF INDIA
MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATI RAJ
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.4062
ANSWEREDON 17.03.2026
DEVELOPMENTWORK OF PANCHAYATS
†4062.SHRIKULDEEPINDORA:
Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has withheld funds worth Rs. 3,000 crore due to Panchayati
electionsnot conducted ontime inRajasthan, if so, the detailsthereof;
(b) whether the withholding of...
GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.4062 ANSWEREDON 17.03.2026 DEVELOPMENTWORK OF PANCHAYATS †4062.SHRIKULDEEPINDORA:
Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has withheld funds worth Rs. 3,000 crore due to Panchayati electionsnot conducted ontime inRajasthan, if so, the detailsthereof;
(b) whether the withholding of these funds has adversely affected development works and basic amenities in Panchayats and more than 1.25 lakh elected representatives, including eleven thousand Sarpancheshave not received theirfunds for more thana year, if so, the detailsthereof;
(c) whether the Government is aware that the State Government of Rajasthan has taken action against more than hundred administrators and dismissed twenty five of them, if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure early notification of Panchayat elections andrelease of funds toPanchayati Raj Institutions inRajasthan? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRIRAJIVRANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)
(a) & (b) No, Sir. Only Rs.785.90 crore from the 1st instalment of Untied and Tied Grants under the Fifteenth FinanceCommission for FY2025-26 hasbeenwithhelddue toPanchayati elections not conductedontime in Rajasthan.
Fifteenth Finance Commission grants are released to the States for Rural Local Bodies
(RLBs) on the basis of guidelinesissued by the Ministry of Financeon the subject andfulfilment of the prescribed conditions. As per the said guidelines RLBs shall be deemed to be eligible for the release of grants, if they are duly constituted i.e if duly elected bodies are in place except for States/ Areas where Part IX of the Constitution does not apply. In case, all the bodies are not duly constituted grants shall be released to the State on pro-rata basis for duly constituted RLBs only. Further, as per Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure guidelines dated 2-6-2022, as soon as the concerned local body becomes eligible (either by way of holding elections or fulfilling the eligibility criteria stipulated), Ministry of Panchayati Raj may recommend release 1of withheld portion of grant due to these bodies within the award period. The Department of Expenditurewill release the withheldportionsubject toavailability of funds.
(c) Rajasthan Government has informed that it has taken action against 25 administrators found guiltyinthe departmental investigationandtheyhave beenrelieved.
(d) Conduct of Panchayat elections in conformity with constitutional provisions within the stipulated time is the constitutional responsibility of the State Governments. However, Ministry of Panchayati Raj keeps reminding States in this regard from time to time. In this regard, an advisory was issued by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to the Government of Rajasthan in June
2025. State Government of Rajasthan has intimated that it has completed delimitation process of Panchayati Raj Institutions till 31.12.2025 as per directions of Hon'ble High Court of Rajasthan initsJudgment dated14.11.2025 inSheelaKumari v/sState of Rajasthan.
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