CHANDIGARH: Punjab government 's finances are in such a bad shape that it is not in a position to give even the shagun money to newly-married women in the state.

Over 27,000 women married during the past two years in the state are still awaiting their shagun money due to the government's tight financial condition. The government on Monday informed the assembly that around Rs 42 crore would be spent to give shagun to these women. "The pending cases will be disposed of after the release of funds," Gulzar Singh Ranike, welfare minister of Punjab, informed the assembly in response to a query from Guriqbal Kaur, Congress MLA from Nawanshahr.

The government gives Rs 15,000 to families belonging to SC/BC, minority and economically weaker sections for the marriage of girls. Guriqbal's son and youth leader of Congress Angad Singh told TOI that women in his area had complained during a public meeting that they were waiting for the shagun for years. "Such amount should be given on the occasion of marriage to help the needful families," he said.

Director of SC/BC welfare department Prithi Chand said, "Due to tight financial condition, some cases were pending in 2009-10 and 2010-11, but now they are being cleared."

Widespread bungling in the scheme had forced the department to go online and the money is now transferred directly to the bride's account.

District--------------- Pending cases in 2 years

Amritsar-------------------------4,012

Gurdaspur-----------------------3,204

Ludhiana-------------------------2,351

Tarn Taran----------------------2,298

Hoshiarpur-----------------------2,134

Patiala----------------------------1,648

Jalandhar------------------------1,618

Sangrur---------------------------1,513

Ferozepur------------------------1,418

Mansa-----------------------------1,062

Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar-859

Bathinda---------------------------799

Fazilka------------------------------684

Fatehgarh Sahib-----------------632

Roopnagar------------------------609

Moga-------------------------------556

Kapurthala------------------------531

Faridkot---------------------------502

SAS Nagar-----------------------419

Pathankot-------------------------401

Sri Muktsar Sahib----------354

Barnala---------------------------331

