The AAP government in Punjab announced a new scheme on Sunday under which Rs 1,000 per month will be given to all women except Scheduled Caste women, who will be getting Rs 1,500 monthly.
Providing monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 per woman was a key poll promise of the ruling party before the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.
Presenting the state budget for 2026-27 in the Assembly, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced the implementation of 'Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojna' under which government will transfer the money directly to the accounts of women.
The Bhagwant Mann government launched the new scheme nearly four years after the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Punjab.
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For women belonging to the SC community, the government will transfer Rs 1,500 per month directly to their accounts, Cheema said.
The announcement coincided with International Women's Day. It is the first time that the state budget was presented on a Sunday.
Cheema said this new scheme for women will be not just India's but also the world's first universal cash transfer scheme for women.
"Every woman in Punjab above 18 years of age will be eligible to enrol under this scheme barring only few i.e. existing or past permanent government employees, existing and past MPs/MLAs and income tax payees," he said.
Even woman enrolled under existing social security pension schemes e.g. old-age pension or widow/destitute women pension or disability pension scheme will be eligible under this scheme, he further said.
"In all, around 97% of all adult women in Punjab will be eligible under this scheme, which is the highest for any state in India," said Cheema.
This initiative seeks to promote economic independence, strengthen women's role in household decision-making, improve health and nutritional outcomes, and encourage continued education and higher aspirations among girls.
It affirms the government's belief that empowerment must reflect in tangible financial security and greater dignity for women across Punjab, said the FM.
Targeting rival parties, Cheema said many states have started the 'jumla' of announcing similar schemes but they limit it only to a small section of women, ignoring the vast majority of women who are financially dependent on men for their most basic needs.
"For example, one of our neighbouring states announced a similar scheme but limited it only to households with annual income under Rs 1 lakh covering only 20% of all adult women," he said without naming the state.
But Punjab will not do such 'jumlas', said Cheema.
"Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Ji is not a Chief Minister for 20% women of Punjab, but to all the women of Punjab...That is why we have decided to become the first state to ensure all adult women are covered under the scheme," said Cheema.
"So, whether she is a daughter studying in college needing extra books, a daughter preparing for a government job needing coaching, or a woman wishing to watch a movie in a cinema hall; or a grandma wishing to buy a new toy for her granddaughter, now, they won't have to ask for money from anyone for their expenses because their elder brother, their son Bhagwant Singh Mann will deposit Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 every month into their bank account," said Cheema.
The FM made a budgetary outlay of Rs 9,300 crore for 2026-27 to ensure transparent and timely implementation of the scheme.
Before the AAP came to power in Punjab, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had promised to give Rs 1,000 to every woman.
The announcement of rolling out the scheme for women by the Mann government came amid rising pressure from opposition parties - Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP - which have been targeting the AAP dispensation for failing to keep its poll promises.
The opposition parties have also been demanding that the Mann government should give Rs 1,000 per month along with Rs 48,000 to every woman which accrued over the last four years, as the AAP had promised to provide the financial assistance after coming to power in 2022.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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