No proposal of direct funding to local bodies: Centre - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Union Government on Monday clarified that there is no proposal under consideration for direct funding to panchayats and municipalities and other local bodies. Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, on Monday Union Panchayati Raj Minister C P Joshi said: "Under the capacity building component of the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) Programme and the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Yojana (RGSY), the Government of India releases funds for planning and implementation of training programmes by the State Governments through Institutions such as the State Institutes of Rural Development and NGOs." Earlier, many states had opposed the idea of direct funding to local bodies. At present, state governments allot money to local bodies.