Daijiworld Media Network - Fatehgarh Sahib
Fatehgarh Sahib, Jun 22: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that the first instalment under the state government’s Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna will be credited directly into the bank accounts of eligible women from July 1, marking a major step towards women’s economic empowerment.
Under the scheme, Dalit mothers and sisters will receive Rs 4,500 as a three-month assistance amount, while women from other categories will receive Rs 3,000.
Addressing a Lok Milni programme after inaugurating development works at Village Chanarthal Kalan in Fatehgarh Sahib constituency, Mann said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment towards ensuring dignity, financial security and empowerment of women.
He said women beneficiaries above 18 years of age would receive mobile notifications regarding the transfer of funds. General category women will receive Rs 1,000 per month, while Scheduled Caste women will get Rs 1,500 per month.
“The money will be transferred directly into bank accounts without any middlemen. Women already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible. Nearly 97 per cent women in Punjab are expected to benefit from this initiative, and the government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 9,300 crore,” Mann said.
The Chief Minister said the financial assistance was not just about money but about giving women dignity, confidence and self-respect.
“Strengthening women’s financial autonomy is essential for improving household welfare, gender equality and women’s participation in decision-making,” he said.
During the programme, Mann also addressed several political and governance issues, alleging that the BJP could attempt to misuse the ongoing SIR exercise by the Election Commission of India to remove genuine voters.
He assured that the Punjab government would not allow deletion of valid votes and said every genuine voter would be protected.
Taking a dig at previous governments, Mann said earlier leaders remained disconnected from common people, while he continued to remain accessible to citizens.
He claimed that his government had accelerated Punjab’s development and was working towards creating a “Rangla Punjab”.
“The AAP Government is perhaps the first government in the country implementing the People’s Manifesto in its true spirit. We do not make promises only during elections; we fulfil them after receiving responsibility,” he said.
Targeting the Akali leadership, Mann criticised former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, alleging that he lacked awareness about the ground realities of Punjab.
Mann also accused previous governments of misusing religion and failing to act against sacrilege incidents. Referring to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act, 2026, he said the legislation was brought after consultations with legal experts to ensure strict action against offenders.
He said the law would prevent people from escaping punishment by using mental health claims as a defence and added that accountability would also extend to guardians or caretakers in certain cases.
The Chief Minister further criticised the Congress, saying the party lacked vision and was facing internal divisions.
Highlighting his government’s welfare measures, Mann said more than 90 per cent households in Punjab were receiving free electricity and farmers were being provided daytime power supply.
He also said the Punjab government’s purchase of a private thermal power plant reflected its commitment to protecting public assets.
Speaking about healthcare initiatives, Mann highlighted the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, under which every resident family in Punjab is eligible for cashless medical treatment up to Rs 10 lakh.
He said Punjab had become the first state in India to provide such comprehensive healthcare coverage and that people had already availed free treatment worth more than Rs 650 crore under the scheme.