Punjab rolls out monthly stipend for women before Assembly polls

SOCIAL SCHEMES

9 MARCH 2026

• Opposition parties reacted sharply to the Budget, the last by the AAP government ahead of the Assembly election in Punjab.
• Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, presenting the State Budget for 2026-27, said ₹1,000 per month would be transferred directly to the bank accounts of all adult women under a new scheme, “Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojana”.
• “Moreover, for women belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, the Bhagwant Mann government will transfer ₹1,500 per month directly to their accounts… Every woman in Punjab above 18 years of age will be eligible to enrol in this scheme, barring only a few, that is, existing or past permanent government employees, existing and past MPs, MLAs, and income tax payees,” Mr. Cheema said.
• “…one of our neighbouring States announced a similar scheme but limited it only to households with annual income under ₹1 lakh, covering only 20% of all adult women. But Punjab will not do such jumlas. Hon’ble Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mannji is not a Chief Minister for 20% of the women of Punjab, but to all the women of Punjab,” the Minister said in an apparent reference to Haryana.
• “A dedicated budgetary outlay of ₹9,300 crore has been earmarked in the financial year 2026–27 to ensure transparent and timely implementation,” he added.
• Mr. Cheema presented the Budget with a total outlay of ₹2,60,437 crore in the Punjab Assembly. “The effective revenue deficit and fiscal deficit are expected at 2.06% and at 4.08% of GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product), respectively,” he said.
• As per the Budget estimates, Punjab’s effective outstanding debt for 2026-27 would stand at ₹4,42,604.16 crore, up from ₹4,02,633.51 crore in 2025-26 (revised estimates). The effective outstanding debt-to-GSDP ratio is estimated at 45.13% for 2026-27.