Imphal: Director of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RD&PR) Ksh Umananda said around Rs 600 crore allocated to Manipur under the 15th Finance Commission has not been released because the state has not held Panchayat elections.
The tenure of the previous Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) representatives ended in October 2022, and no elections have been held since then. As a result, around Rs 600 crore remains pending due to the absence of elected local bodies.
The 16th Finance Commission began its tenure in April 2026. Manipur will receive its share of PRI funds once elected local bodies are established.
Administrative committees are currently functioning at the district and Gram Panchayat levels until elected bodies are constituted. The department has also submitted proposals and activity plans to the Finance Department.
The RD&PR department conducts training programmes for PRI members and functionaries through workshops, seminars and training modules based on guidelines issued by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
The programmes cover Gram Sabha meetings, Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) and the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI).
Around 350 training programmes have been conducted for 14,440 trainees through the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD), at a cost of Rs 2.8 crore. A proposal for around Rs 1 crore has also been submitted and is awaiting approval.
An Extension Training Centre has been established at Lamphel to increase training capacity. A recurring grant of Rs 66.80 lakh was also used for 81 training programmes during 2025-26.