Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a monthly financial assistance scheme for women, highlighting his government’s commitment to welfare and development.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday claimed that opposition parties were rattled by his government’s announcement of a monthly financial assistance scheme for women, saying their criticism reflects fear of the Aam Aadmi Party returning to power in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Speaking in the Punjab Assembly during the Budget Session while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address, Mann said his government had treated its election manifesto as a “sacred commitment” and fulfilled the promises made to people.
He accused the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress of repeatedly betraying the public by failing to deliver on their electoral assurances.
RS 1,000 SCHEME FOR WOMEN
Defending the newly announced financial support programme for women, Mann said it was aimed at giving dignity and economic support to families.
Under the Mukh Mantri Mavaan Dhian Yojna, women aged above 18 from the general category will receive Rs 1,000 per month, while women from the Scheduled Caste category will receive Rs 1,500 per month.
“For ordinary people, especially the poor, Rs 1,000-Rs 1,500 is a significant amount. This amount is a mark of respect for mothers and daughters, and the smile on women’s faces due to this scheme gives me great satisfaction,” Mann said.
He announced that registration for the scheme will begin on April 13.
WELFARE SCHEMES AND JOBS
The chief minister said the state government had launched several welfare initiatives, including free electricity, free bus travel and health coverage for families.
He also referred to the recruitment of 63,943 youths over the past four years.
“There was a time when no one even read election manifestos because traditional parties released them merely as a formality a few days before elections,” Mann said.
“Traditional parties used to talk about religion and caste in their manifestos, but AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal made a historic initiative by including quality health and education for the common people in the manifesto,” he added.
AFFORDABLE RATION SCHEME
Mann also spoke about the Meri Rasoi scheme aimed at easing the burden on families struggling with rising prices.
“Under the Meri Rasoi scheme, 40 lakh families will receive sugar, pulses, mustard oil and salt in their ration, and a budget of Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated for this scheme,” he said.
HEALTH SECTOR PUSH
The chief minister said public trust in 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state had grown steadily, with the number of outpatient visits crossing 5 crore.
He added that the government had introduced the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna to provide free treatment to every family, offering cashless healthcare coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh.
