Punjab Chief Minster Parkash Singh Badal today announced to clear outstanding arrears to the tune of Rs 148.50 crore of farmers for the crushing season 2013-14 "positively" within a week.
Badal asked the Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner Finance to ensure the instant payment of sugarcane in future to farmers as in the case of wheat and paddy, an official release said here.
Out of Rs 464 crore on account of total cost of sugarcane purchased by the state cooperative mills, Rs 250.50 crore had already been cleared by these mills and Rs 38 crore had been paid by the state government from its treasury besides Rs 27 crore by the State Cooperative Bank under Union Government's interest free loan scheme of NABARD.
Now the balance amount of Rs 148.50 crore would be cleared by the state government within a week on the directive of Chief Minister, the official release said.
The Chief Minister also ordered the Social Security and Welfare departments to clear all the pending payments on account of financial assistance under the various social security and welfare schemes.
He asked the Secretaries of these departments to ensure the prompt release of the said arrears to the beneficiaries.
