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Chandigarh: In a politically significant move ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, the Punjab government on Sunday unveiled a major welfare initiative for women while presenting the state Budget for 2026–27 with a total outlay of Rs 2,60,437 crore. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced a Rs 9,300-crore allocation for the launch of the ‘Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojna’, under which adult women in the state will receive direct monthly financial assistance of Rs 1000 per month.

Presenting what is expected to be the last full budget of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government before Punjab heads to the polls in early 2027, Cheema asserted that the Bhagwant Mann government had fulfilled every promise made to the people of the state.

Addressing the Assembly, the Finance Minister said the budget was dedicated to the mothers and daughters of Punjab, describing it as a tribute to their strength, resilience and immense contribution to society. The announcement of the scheme also coincided with International Women’s Day, making it symbolically significant. Notably, it was also the first time Punjab’s budget was presented on a Sunday.

Direct cash support for women

Under the newly announced scheme, the state government will transfer Rs 1,000 per month directly into the bank accounts of eligible women. Women belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community will receive Rs 1,500 per month, Cheema said, adding that the enhanced amount for SC women reflects the government’s commitment to social justice and inclusion.

The scheme implements one of the key poll promises made by AAP ahead of the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, when party convener Arvind Kejriwal had pledged monthly financial assistance for women in the state.

Cheema said the government had designed the scheme as a direct benefit transfer (DBT) programme to ensure transparency, efficiency and timely disbursement of funds.

Wide coverage across Punjab

According to the Finance Minister, every woman aged 18 or older in Punjab will be eligible to enrol in the scheme, with only a few categories excluded. These include current or former permanent government employees, existing or former MPs and MLAs, and income-tax payees.

Importantly, the scheme will not replace existing social security benefits. Women already receiving government pensions—such as old-age pensions, widow or destitute pensions, and disability pensions—will continue to receive those benefits while also remaining eligible for the new financial assistance.

Cheema said that once implemented, the scheme would cover around 97 per cent of all adult women in Punjab, making it the most expansive financial assistance programme for women in any Indian state.

He went a step further, claiming it would be the first universal cash transfer scheme for women anywhere in the world, given its broad coverage.

Economic empowerment and social impact

The Finance Minister said the scheme aims to strengthen women’s economic independence and enhance their role in household decision-making. According to the government, providing a guaranteed monthly income will help women manage everyday expenses without being dependent on financial support.

Cheema said the initiative could also contribute to better health and nutrition outcomes, increased educational opportunities for girls, and greater aspirations among young women.

“This initiative affirms our belief that empowerment must translate into tangible financial security and dignity for women,” he told the House.

Political message ahead of elections

The rollout of the scheme comes at a time when the AAP government has been facing sustained criticism from opposition parties—including the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP—for allegedly delaying the implementation of its election promises.

Opposition leaders had repeatedly questioned why the government had not delivered the promised monthly assistance during the first four years of its tenure. They have also demanded that the government compensate women for the delay by paying arrears amounting to Rs 48,000 per beneficiary, representing the four years since AAP came to power.

Without naming any specific state, Cheema also took a swipe at rival parties, accusing them of announcing “jumla” schemes that restrict benefits to a narrow section of women.

“Many states have started announcing similar schemes but limit them only to households with annual incomes below Rs 1 lakh, covering barely 20 per cent of women,” he said.

“In Punjab, we are not doing such jumlas. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is not the Chief Minister of only 20 per cent of the women of Punjab, but of every woman in the state,” Cheema said.

A symbolic message from the government

In an emotional appeal during his speech, Cheema said the scheme would allow women greater financial freedom in their daily lives.

Whether it is a college-going daughter needing books, a young woman preparing for competitive exams who needs coaching support, or a grandmother wanting to buy a toy for her granddaughter, women will no longer need to ask anyone for money for small expenses, he said.

“With this scheme, their elder brother, their son, Bhagwant Singh Mann, will deposit Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 every month directly into their bank accounts,” Cheema remarked.

With the launch of the women’s cash transfer scheme backed by a Rs 9,300-crore budgetary provision, the Mann government has made one of its most politically significant welfare announcements since coming to power in 2022.

The scheme is expected to play a central role in the government’s social welfare narrative as Punjab prepares for the next Assembly elections, where the AAP will seek a renewed mandate after completing its first term in the state.