Chandigarh: 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.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had 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, according to an official spokesperson.

"The chief minister was of the view that these people had suffered enough for 10 years under the SAD-BJP rule, and it was the Congress government's responsibility to provide them some succor," an official release quoting the spokesperson said, while giving details of the disbursements.

The retirement benefits was cleared till September 30, 2017, with the release of Rs 218.84 crore, while Rs 23.19 crore was released towards reimbursement of medical bills September 30, 2017.

Among the other amounts released were Rs 100 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Rs 50 crore under the National Health Mission (NHM), said the spokesperson, adding that financial assistance to the tune of Rs 115 crore was 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 was disbursed for the Border Area Compensation.

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 anyway, he said.  PTI