New Delhi, Sept 6, 2024: The Freshwater Action Network of South Asia (FANSA) has submitted a comprehensive report on the utilization of grants from the 15th Finance Commission for water and sanitation to Members of Parliament from Delhi, including Harsh Malhotra, Manoj Tiwari, and Yoginder Chandolia. The report highlights the findings from a study conducted across 50 villages in 10 states of India, focusing on the allocation and utilization of direct grants provided by the government to gram panchayats.
Manish Sharma, the state coordinator of FANSA Delhi and the Founder and President of MILESTONE, led a delegation to meet the MPs, where they discussed the critical findings and recommendations of the report. The MPs were briefed on the current state of water and sanitation in the gram panchayats, emphasizing the need for more effective implementation of the grants.
In their response, the MPs expressed strong support for the findings and committed to discussing the effective utilization of the 15th Finance Commission’s grants. They also indicated their intention to request the central government to continue these grants under the upcoming 16th Finance Commission. Additionally, the MPs assured that the report would be shared with the Ministry of Jal Shakti to ensure broader dissemination and action.
The outcomes of the meeting were notably positive, with the MPs recommending that similar analyses be conducted at the block and district levels, with a particular focus on the needs of aspirational blocks.
