The Punjab government has released a sum of Rs 189.34 crores into the accounts of social security pensions and other financial assistance schemes to the beneficiaries for the month of July, a spokesperson said on Friday.
According to the spokesperson, the state's Finance Department released the sum on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
"The said amount would be soon credited through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 25.25 lakh beneficiaries including elderly, widow and destitute women, dependent children and disabled persons," the spokesperson said.
Giving the break-up, the spokesperson said that Rs 127.80 crores would be disbursed amongst 17.05 lakh old age beneficiaries, Rs 34.90 crores as financial assistance to 4.65 lakh widow and destitute women, Rs 11.37 crores to 1.51 lakh dependent children, and Rs 15.27 crores to 2.04 lakh disabled persons.
Realising the hardships being faced by the people amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the pensions for the month of July paid in August would be disbursed shortly by directly transferring the funds into saving accounts of the beneficiaries under various social security schemes, the spokesperson added.
( With inputs from ANI )