Describing the money as a 'social cheque', the chief minister directed the ULBs to ensure that it is spent in a transparent manner. He also instructed the officials concerned to immediately start work on all pending development projects.
A spokesperson said Amarinder Singh assured that his government would ensure equitable expenditure, without indulging in any discrimination as was "done by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government against the areas represented by the Congress".
The amount was expected to be released soon, he said, adding that the government was also expecting an additional grant of Rs 34.91 crore to be released soon through PIDB.
Speaking on the occasion, Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu thanked the chief minister for the release of the development project fund, which he described as Amarinder Singh's Diwali gift to the people of Punjab.
Regarding progress in the journalist KJ Singh murder case, he said the police were on the job and the culprits would be nabbed and brought to book. He also assured that those behind the murder of an RSS worker in Ludhiana would be caught soon.