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Chandigarh: In a historic first, the Punjab Government will present its state Budget on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day and marking the first time a Punjab Budget will be tabled on a Sunday. The Assembly session is scheduled to begin on March 6, with the Budget presentation strategically aligned with both symbolism and political timing ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

The decision also mirrors an unusual national precedent: the Union Budget this year was presented on Sunday, February 1, reflecting a growing trend of aligning key fiscal announcements with symbolic dates.

Sources indicated that the Mann government is set to unveil one of its most politically significant welfare measures — a monthly honorarium of ₹1,000 for every woman aged 18 and above in the state. The move is widely seen as a major electoral promise aimed at consolidating women voters, who played a decisive role in the Aam Aadmi Party’s sweeping victory in the 2022 Assembly polls.

 Rs 1,000 Monthly Honorarium to Women Likely Centrepiece of Poll-Bound Budget

The proposed scheme is expected to require an estimated ₹1,000–₹1,300 crore per month, translating into an annual outlay of over ₹12,000 crore. To support this ambitious initiative, the state government has reportedly auctioned properties worth ₹4,000 crore over the past six months, with proceeds likely to be used to partially fund the honorarium programme.

The scheme is expected to be positioned as a cornerstone of the government’s social welfare agenda and could significantly influence voter sentiment ahead of the 2027 elections. With this being the last full Budget of the current government before Punjab goes to the polls next year, the financial plan is expected to prioritise populist measures alongside social sector expansion.

Sources said overall Budget expenditure is likely to rise by at least 5 per cent over the previous fiscal year, when the state presented a Budget of ₹2,36,080 crore for 2025–26.

Higher Spending on Health, Education and Infrastructure to Shape Final Pre-Poll Budget

Apart from the proposed honorarium scheme, the Budget is expected to increase allocations for health, education, and rural development — sectors that the AAP government has consistently projected as pillars of its governance model. Increased infrastructure spending is also anticipated, especially as capital expenditure has remained subdued over the past four years.

The government is also expected to highlight its continuation of free power to farmers and the recent rollout of universal health coverage, reinforcing its welfare-driven governance narrative.

Financially, Punjab is expected to gain from higher central tax devolution recommended by the Finance Commission. Although the state will lose ₹25,968 crore in revenue deficit grants, its share in horizontal tax devolution has increased from 1.807 per cent to 1.996 per cent, potentially bringing an additional ₹25,000 crore over the next five years. Additional central grants worth ₹19,623 crore for local bodies and disaster management are also expected to cushion fiscal pressures.

With the Budget set to be presented on International Women’s Day and anchored around a major direct benefit scheme for women, the Mann government appears to be blending fiscal policy with political strategy — signalling both governance intent and electoral positioning as Punjab heads toward a crucial electoral contest in 2027.