Funds Devolved To States Under 15th Finance Commission Higher: Finance Minister

Jaisalmer: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that funds devolved to states under the 15th Finance Commission (2021-2024) are more than what was devolved under the 14th Finance Commission (2015-20. In a pre-budget meeting with states, Sitharaman remarked that because of a healthy macroeconomic environment, buoyancy and efficiency in the tax collections, the devolution has increased.

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Funds Devolved Increase: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that the funds devolved to states under the 15th Finance Commission (2021-2024)

surpass those under the 14th Finance Commission (2015-2020), driven by strong macroeconomic performance and efficient tax collection.

"The funds devolved to the states in the last 45 months (April 2021 to December 2024) under the 15th Finance Commission is more than what was devolved in 60 months under the 14th Finance Commission (2015-20)," an official statement quoting Sitharaman said. The Union finance minister also referred to the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), first announced in the Union Budget 2020-21, and acknowledged that it has received excellent response from states.

Centre Enhances SASCI Funds to Support Capital Asset Creation and Disaster Relief

States have been requesting the Central government to enhance the outlay under the scheme as it is leading to the construction of crucial capital assets. The finance minister also stated that in addition to this, the Centre has allocated approximately Rs 30,000 crore as 'Untied Funds' under the SASCI-2024-25. The state governments in any sector may use this allocated amount to increase expenditure on the creation of capital assets further. In addition to this, the Union finance minister stated that the Centre has created an additional dispensation under SASCI for the states affected by disasters of a severe nature as assessed by the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), deputed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

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It will aid the states in reconstructing damaged infrastructure, like roads and bridges, water supply lines, electricity poles, culverts, etc. Nirmala Sitharaman said the states that suffered severe natural disasters (as assessed by IMCT) in FY25 may be eligible for up to 50 per cent of their allocation under Part-1 (Untied) of the SASCI scheme. Moreover, this will be an additional amount to the funds provided under the National Disaster Response and Mitigation Fund (NDRMF), according to Nirmala Sitharaman. In the pre-budget meeting with Nirmala Sitharaman, Many states demanded an increase in disaster relief funding in the upcoming budget for 2025-26.