Punjab govt releases salaries to its employees after week's delay

Chandigarh, September 7

The Punjab Government on Wednesday released the salaries of its employees, which were delayed by a week this time.

The pending dues of sugarcane farmers and power subsidy to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, too, was released.

Even as the Opposition parties took on the government over the delay in release of salaries, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday said the financial health of the state was “well-maintained and treasury had released more than Rs 3,400 crore today”.

In a statement issued here, the Finance Minister said payments, including salaries of government employees, were delayed as the state was gearing up for revival of special drawing facility (SDF) as per the CSF/GRF guidelines and norms by the Reserve Bank of India.

Thanking the government employees and other stakeholders for bearing with the state government, Cheema said treasury had released Rs 2,719 crore, including salaries and GPF, besides releasing Rs 600 crore to the PSPCL as power subsidy and Rs 75 crore to Sugarfed.

Rejecting rumours regarding any financial crunch or crisis, Cheema said the majority of the pending payments had been made with today’s release by the treasury and any other pending payments would be released within a few days. He said the delay in payments was due to a financial exercise done to ensure financial welfare of the state in long-term.

Cheema said it was an open secret that Punjab was reeling under financial mess when they gained people’s referendum in March 2022. “Now, the state government has been putting all efforts to revive the fiscal health of the state besides fulfilling the guarantees given to the people of the state,” said Cheema.