Due to the shortage of money, it is anticipated that the Punjab government will not pay the salary of their employees on time for the second consecutive month until the Central government pays the share of Goods and Services Tax to the state.
Sources stated that this time state would not be able to pay the salaries of the employees as firstly they had to clear pending bills worth amounting Rs 6,600 crore. Under the FRBM Limit, the state would not be able to pay the money of more than Rs 2,800 crore.
An amount of Rs 3,500 crore as debt- servicing is also pending which the state government has to pay in the month of March. Apart from the salary bill amounting Rs 1,800 crore, the state government of Punjab also has to clear the pending bills worth amounting Rs 4,000 crore which the state has to clear before the closure of this fiscal year.
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This has happened for the third time when the salaries of employees got delayed in the 10-month rule under the Congress government.
According to the official, “We do not expect the salaries to be on time next month too. We were waiting for the GST compensation from Centre worth Rs 633 crore that has been pending to us since January 31. If the Centre can delay state’s compensation, we can delay the salaries.” The official further added that the financial condition of Punjab state was turned out to be worst specifically during the time period when the government had to pay the money for debt- servicing.
The salaries of employees had been cleared by the government in three different instalments in February month. The employees of Group A and B had been paid by the government after a delay of one week whereas the government had somehow managed and paid salaries to Group C and D employees earlier.
