CHANDIGARH, March 8:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday announced that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has fulfilled its biggest electoral promise, unveiling the ‘Mukh Mantri Mawaan Dhian Satkar Yojna’ to provide monthly financial assistance to women across Punjab. Under the scheme, women will receive ₹1,000 per month, while women from Scheduled Caste communities will receive ₹1,500, with ₹9,300 crore earmarked in the state Budget for its implementation.
Describing the move as a major step towards strengthening women’s financial independence, the CM said the AAP government’s “Saari Guarantiyan Puri” Budget reflects its commitment to delivering on poll promises while expanding welfare measures such as free bus travel, free power and cashless healthcare to empower women and support households across the state.
Interacting with the media, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann congratulated the mothers, daughters and sisters of Punjab and prayed that they continue to script new success stories in every field. He said the Budget was presented on the day with a special focus on women, fulfilling a key promise made by the AAP government to empower them socially and economically. The Budget is pro-people and ensures that women and other sections of society receive support through welfare measures and public services.
“The AAP government has fulfilled the biggest poll promise made to the people. Women in the state will now receive ₹1,000 per month under the Mukh Mantri Mawaan Dhian Satikar Yojna, while women belonging to the Scheduled Caste community will get ₹1,500 every month,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. He added that special camps will be organised across the state so that women can easily complete the formalities required to avail the benefit of the scheme.
The Punjab CM shared that the registration process for the financial assistance scheme will begin from the coming Baisakhi and will be carried out on a war footing so that all eligible beneficiaries can be covered at the earliest. Every girl above the age of 18 years will be entitled to receive the benefit under the scheme, ensuring that a vast majority of women in the state are covered.
Describing the Budget as a milestone document, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said it reflects the government’s commitment to the welfare of the people and the progress of the state. “This is not merely a Budget but an affidavit of the progress of the state and the prosperity of its people,” he said, congratulating Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema for presenting a Budget that takes care of every section of society.
Taking a dig at previous governments, he added that earlier budgets often remained confined to announcements on paper and failed to deliver meaningful benefits to the people. During the tenure of earlier regimes, budgets were limited to rhetoric and poetic references rather than concrete policies aimed at improving the lives of citizens.
Highlighting the broader welfare initiatives of the AAP government, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said several schemes are being implemented to empower women, including free bus travel, free power and cashless treatment under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna. “Cashless treatment, free bus travel, free power, ₹1,000 per month and other initiatives will empower women and strengthen their role in society,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that the government has adequate financial resources to implement its programmes effectively. “We have no dearth of money as our intentions are clear,” he said, adding that the state government has improved financial management and ensured that public funds are used for welfare and development.
The Punjab CM emphasised that the government is working honestly, which is why major improvements are visible in sectors such as education, healthcare and infrastructure. “We are working honestly due to which schools, hospitals, roads and Aam Aadmi Clinics are coming up across the state,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further stated that the government has taken significant steps to improve power supply, strengthen irrigation systems and ensure that farmers receive adequate electricity. Thermal power plants are being purchased, canal water is reaching tail-end farmers and electricity tariffs are being rationalised for the benefit of consumers.
He added that in the past four years the state government has delivered all the guarantees promised to the people and also implemented several additional measures such as closing toll plazas that were burdening commuters. These steps reflect the government’s commitment to ensuring that people receive tangible benefits from governance.
Speaking about investments in education and sports, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann shared, “The Budget has increased the allocation for education by seven per cent, while ₹1,791 crore has been earmarked for promoting sports infrastructure and activities across the state. Promoting sports is one of the most effective ways to channel the energy of youth in a positive direction.”
“With the promotion of sports, the unbounded energy of youth is being utilised for excelling in sports. Youth who are involved in sports have no time even to look at drugs because they are using all their energy to excel in their respective fields. Promoting sports will help the state government in its fight against drug abuse and will encourage young people to focus on building a healthier and more productive future,” he asserted.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the government is carefully utilising every rupee of public money for the development of the state and the welfare of its people. He added that leakages in the system have been effectively checked and the resources saved are now being invested in programmes that directly benefit the common man. The sole aim of the AAP government is to ensure the progress and prosperity of the state.
