Centre releases ₹4,383 crore in XV Finance Commission grants to boost rural local bodies

March 25, 2026 1:05 PM

Centre releases ₹4,383 crore in XV Finance Commission grants to boost rural local bodies

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has announced the release of over ₹4,383.98 crore as tied and untied grants under the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC) to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra for the financial year 2025–26.  The disbursement, which includes allocations from multiple financial years, is aimed at strengthening grassroots governance and improving delivery of essential services in rural areas....

Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat: India Steps Up Fight to End Child Marriage by 2030

January 9, 2026 12:18 PM

Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat: India Steps Up Fight to End Child Marriage by 2030

India has steadily strengthened its legal, social and administrative response to child marriage, combining decades of reform with a renewed national mission to eliminate the practice by 2030. While child marriage is prohibited by law, the government recognises that deep-rooted social practices require sustained awareness, enforcement and community participation. According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21), 23 per cent of women aged 20–24 were married before the age of 18, a fi...