Adampur (Jalandhar): Chief minister Bhagwant Mann launched the registration process for the much-anticipated Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana at Adampur during a state-level function marking the 135th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar on Tuesday.
Addressing a gathering largely comprising women, Mann announced that the first phase of registration has launched in nine assembly segments: Adampur, Dirba, Sunam, Moga, Malout, Patiala Rural, Kotkapura, Batala, and Anandpur Sahib. Under the scheme, beneficiaries above the age of 18 will receive ₹1,000 a month, while those from the Scheduled Caste community will receive ₹1,500 monthly.
Mann said that by initiating this process, the Aam Aadmi Party-led government has fulfilled its major promise to empower women across the state through direct financial assistance. He said that 26,000 registration centres have been set up across Punjab and that the statewide process will commence soon. Reassuring people about the scheme’s sustainability, he said a dedicated budget has been earmarked and ample funds are available for implementation. He dismissed opposition criticism, arguing that critics failed to understand how significant these payments are for women from impoverished backgrounds. Mann framed the initiative as a way of returning the public’s money to them through improved health, education, and civic amenities.
AAP Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia said the registration process under the scheme will be completed within two months across the state. “The beneficiaries will start getting the amount from July onwards. It is not about the amount, the scheme is aimed at making women financially independent,” he said.
The launch marks the culmination of a campaign “guarantee” made by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. Four years later, the Bhagwant Mann government formally announced the cash transfer scheme in its 2026-27 Budget on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.
An outlay of ₹9,300 crore has been earmarked for the current fiscal. According to the April 2 notification, all women aged 18 and above who are registered voters with valid Aadhaar and Punjab voter ID cards are eligible, with no restriction on the number of eligible women per family. Existing social security pensioners are also entitled to avail of the scheme in addition to their current pensions.
However, the government has excluded several categories from the benefit, including regular or retired employees of the Punjab, central, or other state governments, as well as those from public sector undertakings, boards, corporations, and cooperative institutions. Additionally, individuals who paid income tax of ₹1 or more in the last financial year, and serving or former ministers, MPs, and MLAs, are ineligible. To ensure smooth statewide implementation, the Punjab government has already constituted a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary to oversee the framework and operational decisions.
