Punjab to credit Rs 1,500 crore to 40 lakh women under new scheme from July 1

The Punjab government is set to distribute the first instalment of a new monthly financial assistance scheme, 'Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana', to over 40 lakh women across the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will launch the scheme from his constituency, Dhuri, on Wednesday.

Under the scheme, eligible women from the general category will receive Rs 1,000 per month, while those belonging to Scheduled Castes will receive Rs 1,500. The amount will be transferred directly into their bank accounts. Women who already receive social security pensions will also remain eligible. The state government has allocated Rs 9,300 crore for the scheme in the budget for the current financial year.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that nearly 97 per cent of women in Punjab are expected to benefit from the scheme. He added that registration has been completed for more than 40 lakh women, and the benefits will be applicable from July 1 even if registration cards are delivered later.

Women aged 18 years or above, who are registered as voters in Punjab and possess a valid Aadhaar card reflecting Punjab residency along with a valid Voter ID issued by the Election Commission, are eligible to be enrolled as beneficiaries.

An official said the government has arranged Rs 1,500 crore to roll out the scheme, including Rs 1,000 crore borrowed from the market, with the rest coming from GMADA funds and labour cess. The labour cess, officially known as the BOCW (Building and Other Construction Workers) Welfare Cess, is a mandatory 1% tax levied on the total cost of construction projects. It is collected to fund social and welfare schemes for construction workers.

According to government estimates, around 30 per cent of the registered beneficiaries belong to the SC category, making it one of the largest targeted welfare transfers in the state's social security framework. The scheme is a flagship promise of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, which has consistently projected direct benefit transfers as a means of reducing leakage in welfare spending and ensuring timely assistance to eligible beneficiaries.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the government was fully prepared and that administrative formalities had been completed. "We have no dearth of money. We are comfortable," he said.

On a separate matter, responding to a question about the Akal Takht's directions regarding the anti-sacrilege law, Chief Minister Mann said, "Sri Akal Takht Sahib is supreme for me and my family. Every directive issued by this sacred institution will be fully honoured, and a detailed discussion on the matter will also be held in the Vidhan Sabha."