New Delhi, March 31 -- New Delhi: The Union government has released over Rs.1,500 crore as Fifteenth Finance Commission grants for FY26 to strengthen grassroots governance across six states-Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Mizoram and Meghalaya-the panchayati raj ministry said in statement on Tuesday.

The move aims to enable need-based rural development and improve basic services at the local level, it said.

The 15th Finance Commission covered a five-year period from FY22 to FY26 that is ending on 31 March. The current releases are part of this final year, the due instalments within the award period. The commission's total award amount for rural local bodies was Rs.4.36 trillion.

Fund releases are state-specific and tran...