Punjab govt releases over Rs 1,200 cr to clear payment under various welfare schemes

The Punjab government today released over Rs 1,200 crore in funds to clear payments under various welfare schemes, including those centrally-sponsored, and assured that paucity of funds will not be allowed to obstruct development.

The government has released funds to the tune of Rs 1,220.99 crore, with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directing all departments to mobilise adequate resources through prudent fiscal management to ensure clearance of pending payments on priority, said an official spokesperson.

The spokesperson said retirement benefits have been cleared till December 31, 2017, with the release of Rs 413.77 crore, while Rs 43.73 crore had been released towards reimbursement of medical bills up to March 20, 2018.

All payments of General Provident Fund (GPF) advances amounting to Rs 147.49 crore of existing employees had been cleared up to December 31, 2017.

Under the centrally-sponsored schemes, a sum of Rs 52.62 crore had been released for Central Road Fund (CRF), besides Rs 50 crore each for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).

An amount of Rs 32.64 crore had been released under National Health Mission (NHM), Rs 25 crore for National Education Mission (NEM), and Rs 16.53 crore for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), said the spokesperson.