The Assam finance department cleared the salaries of all state government employees and pensioners on Wednesday.

The finance department directed all treasury officers of the state to pass the bills and cheques relating to salary, wages and pension for April to employees and pensioners.

The order, dated May 6 from the joint secretary, finance (budget department), to the treasury officers said: “Treasury officers are hereby instructed to pass the bills/cheques relating to salary, wages, pension for the month of April 2020, pension benefits and non-salary claims after necessary scrutiny as per existing norms and procedure from 8th May onwards.”

The order came as a huge relief to over five lakh state government employees. State finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that government employees would get full pay for April, provided they help at least five families in their neighbourhood using their salaries.

State government employees, paying heed to the appeal from Sarma, had offered financial assistance and even provided essential commodities to the needy across the state.

The Assam government needs nearly Rs 2,250 crore a month to pay the salaries of its employees. It usually releases a month’s salary on the seventh day of the following month.

Sarma had said the state government may not be able to pay salaries of its employees for May if it does not get financial support from outside, following which Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured that “the central government was resolute in its commitment to lend all possible assistance to state in overcoming the fiscal situation arising due to Covid”.