Punjab Government Launches Monthly Financial Assistance Scheme for Women; First Installments Credited to Bank Accounts

General category women receive Rs 3,000, Scheduled Caste women Rs 4,500 as three-month installment released together

New Delhi/Chandigarh, July 2026: The Punjab government on Wednesday launched the Chief Minister Mawan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, fulfilling what it described as the final major electoral promise made by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections. Under the scheme, eligible women across the state have begun receiving monthly financial assistance directly into their bank accounts.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann formally launched the scheme by unveiling a dedicated web portal in Dhuri. The government released the first three months’ installments together, crediting Rs 3,000 to eligible women from the general category and Rs 4,500 to eligible Scheduled Caste women.

The AAP had promised five major guarantees before coming to power in Punjab in 2022, and the government said the launch of this scheme marks the fulfillment of its final poll commitment.

Congratulating women beneficiaries, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal described the launch as a landmark day for Punjab. In a post on social media platform X, he said it was a historic moment for the state’s mothers and sisters.

Kejriwal claimed that previous governments had failed to channel public funds for the benefit of citizens, while asserting that the Bhagwant Mann-led government had ensured government resources reached the people directly. He also said Punjab was moving rapidly on the path of development.

Speaking at the launch event, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the banking process had commenced and beneficiaries would begin receiving confirmation messages on their mobile phones as the funds were credited.

He noted that many women had been waiting for the assistance to meet household expenses, pay children’s school fees, clear debts, or meet other family needs. According to the Chief Minister, numerous women had expressed confidence that the promised assistance would help them manage their finances.

Mann said women from the general category would receive Rs 1,000 per month, while eligible Scheduled Caste women would receive Rs 1,500 per month under the scheme. He stressed that the programme had been launched only after ensuring its long-term financial sustainability and assured beneficiaries that the financial assistance would continue regularly as long as the AAP government remained in office.

He also clarified that if more than one eligible woman belongs to a family, each eligible beneficiary would receive the assistance separately. Women who complete their registration after the launch will also become eligible to receive benefits from July 1, he added.

Taking a swipe at opposition parties, Mann said critics had questioned the value of the financial assistance, arguing that such amounts would make little difference. He countered that those making such remarks had never experienced financial hardship and therefore failed to understand the importance of even modest financial support for low-income families.

The Chief Minister said the scheme would help women meet personal and family expenses independently, reducing their financial dependence on other family members and enabling them to maintain their dignity. He explained that the programme was named Mawan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana to reflect the government’s commitment to honouring mothers and daughters.

During his address, mobile phones of several beneficiaries reportedly began receiving bank credit notifications, drawing applause from the gathering. Mann welcomed the development and encouraged beneficiaries to share the confirmation messages on social media to counter criticism that the scheme would never be implemented.

He said the initiative reflected the AAP government’s broader philosophy that public funds should be returned to citizens through welfare measures, including healthcare, education, infrastructure, employment, free electricity and other public services.