Coimbatore : Tamil Nadu Government today requested the Centre to release pending grants

In a memorandum to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, State Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani sought his intervention to prevail upon the Finance Minister to release the amount.

It included Rs 194.78 rore towards the 14th CFC performance grant for 2017-18 and Rs 221.2 crore for 2018-19, Rs 876.94 crore towards the second installment of 14th CFC basic grant for 2018-19 and Rs 1,184.93 crore towards the first installment of the 14th CFC basic grant for 2019-20 for the rural local bodies, Velumani said in the letter handed over to Singh at Delhi,.

On behalf of the Chief Minister, he wholeheartedly congratulated Singh for all new initiatives in agriculture, farmer’s welfare, rural development and the Panchayat Raj Ministry and appreciated and supported the ‘historical landmark decisions for re-creating a constructive India’ under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

The State Government was pursuing the Jal Shakthi Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan Mission very effectively, he said, adding that all rural local bodies in the State were in dire need of funds to carry out these activities.

They would also require more funds to carry out their day-to-day activities in providing basic amenities in the rural areas. The non-receipt of the funds was causing severe financial constraints to rural local bodies in the State and hampering their ability to maintain basic amenities, he said..

Velumani gave details about the process of conducting local bodies election and preparedness and litigations in this regard.