Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann launches women's cash scheme

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced the rollout of the Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, a cash assistance programme that will transfer ₹1,000 per month to every woman in the state and ₹1,500 per month to women belonging to Scheduled Castes. The scheme, slated to begin on 1 July, is expected to reach nearly 97 % of Punjab’s female population, covering roughly 45 % of the state’s electorate, and is funded with about ₹9,300 crore in the state budget.

The launch comes amid heightened political tension with the Sikh apex body Akal Takht, which has accused Mann of sacrilege and called for his social boycott. The dispute centres on a video alleged to show Mann insulting Sikh Gurus and on the recently passed Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act. Analysts note that the timing of the welfare scheme, eight months before the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, is intended to bolster the AAP’s electoral prospects while the government navigates the religious controversy.