Only 9 states eligible for performance grants of ULBs

NEW DELHI: Only nine of 29 states in the country were found eligible for getting performance grants of urban local bodies during 2014-15, Rajya Sabha was told today.

As per the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission, these nine states were released performance grant of Rs 457.91 crore, Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo said in a written reply.

The states which met the criteria and got performance grant of urban local bodies ( ULBs) are - Uttar Pradesh which received a grant of Rs 146.46 crore, Madhya Pradesh (Rs.74.11 crore), Rajasthan (Rs 59.23 crore), Andhra Pradesh (Rs 47.76 crore), Telangana (Rs 47.41 crore), Kerala (Rs 36.02 crore), Haryana (Rs 21.58 crore), Chattisgarh (Rs 20.68 crore) and Mizoram (Rs 4.66 crore).

Seven states - Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha and Tripura - did not claim the grant.

Conditions stipulated by the 13th Finance Commission for release of performance grant of ULBs include ensuring a separate supplement to the budget documents for ULBs and ensuring accounting as per National Municipal Accounts Manual.

Tabling in state Legislatures, annual report of the Director of Local Fund Audit in respect of ULBs, appointment of an Ombudsman for elected functionaries and officials of all ULBs, electronic transfer of grants to ULBs within five days of their receipt from the central government and empowering ULBs to levy property tax are some of the other conditions for getting the grant.