Bandi Sanjay urges Centre to probe diversion of Telangana PR funds - The HinduPublished - July 19, 2026 06:26 pm IST - HYDERABADUnion Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday urged Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh to conduct a special inquiry into the utilisation of 15th Finance Commission grants in Telangana, alleging that the funds were being diverted for purposes other than those permitted under the guidelines.In a communication released to the media, Mr. Sanjay Kumar sought immediate directions to the State government to ensure that funds earmarked for village development are not used for staff salaries, electricity bills, routine administrative expenses or any other unauthorised purposes.Mr. Sanjay Kumar alleged that a total of ₹2,293.74 crore had been released in phases and credited to the State Treasury so far, while another ₹729.41 crore remained due for release. He claimed that the funds were being utilised for staff salaries, electricity bills, routine maintenance and other administrative expenditures instead of developmental works.He further alleged that gram panchayat sarpanches had expressed serious concern over being pressured to use the funds for such non-permissible purposes. The Union government should put in place a strict monitoring mechanism to ensure that funds released to gram panchayats are utilised exclusively for intended developmental works, he said.He also urged the Centre to direct the State government to initiate disciplinary and legal action against officials responsible for diverting the funds. The Congress government should be asked to explain the alleged diversion of funds, Mr. Sanjay Kumar said in the letter.Published - July 19, 2026 06:26 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }