Punjab Govt releases Rs.690.96 crore for various welfare schemes
Acting on the directives of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the Punjab Government has released funds amounting to Rs. 690.96 crore under various welfare schemes, including pension payments, compensation to farmers against crop damage, retirement benefits and medical reimbursement.
Captain Amarinder had categorically directed all the departments to create resources for welfare schemes through prudent fiscal management so that the beneficiaries, constituting the most deprived sections of the society, do not face any more hardships.
The spokesperson said retirement benefits had been cleared till September 30, 2017, with the release of Rs. 218.84 crore, while Rs. 23.19 crore had been released towards reimbursement of medical bills September 30, 2017.
Among the other amounts released were Rs. 100 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Rs. 50 crore under National Health Mission (NHM), said the spokesperson, adding that financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 115 crore had been released for disbursement of pensions under various social security schemes for February 2018.
Under the Ashirwad Scheme, the sum release stands at Rs. 25 crore, with another Rs. 42.86 crore going towards compensation to farmers against crop damaged as a result of various factors.
The spokesperson further disclosed that Rs. 30.26 crore had gone towards Water Supply and Sanitation, while Rs. 8 crore had been disbursed for Border Area Compensation.
The State Government has also given Rs. 7 crore as Grant-in-Aid to the Punjabi University, and a sum of Rs. 3.81 crore had been released under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Further, the government had also released Rs. Rs. 60 crore under JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), besides releasing Rs. 7 crore for Discretionary Grants of Ministers, said the spokesperson, adding that the Chief Minister had issued strict directives to all the departments to ensure that the financial crunch faced by the government does not scuttle the implementation of the welfare schemes in any way. -PTC News
