Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann released the second instalment of the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, transferring Rs 1,262.54 crore to 36.87 lakh women. At a gathering in Goindwal Sahib, CM Mann said eligible beneficiaries were receiving Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,500 and used the payment to contrast his government’s welfare record with opposition parties as Punjab’s election campaign intensifies ahead of the 2027 election.
The Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna was launched in Dhuri in July.
At the time, the government said eligible women would receive financial assistance directly in their bank accounts, with the amount varying between the two beneficiary categories.
Why CM Mann called the bank alerts ‘tunn-tunn’ messages
He also said the government wanted to extend the scheme to one crore women and claimed around 97 per cent of women in Punjab would ultimately be eligible. He said 1.37 lakh Satkar Sakhis had taken part in the registration drive and that incentives had been provided for this work.
CM Mann repeatedly referred to the mobile alerts generated when money reaches beneficiaries’ bank accounts as “tunn-tunn” messages. He said such payment alerts would continue as long as his government remained in office. Chief Minister Mann said tax revenue should be spent on public services and welfare programmes.
Those figures were presented by the Chief Minister at the event and should be read as the state government’s assessment of the scheme’s intended reach. CM Mann credited Satkar Sakhis and Anganwadi workers with helping women register for the programme. Chief Minister Mann also claimed that a Congress, BJP or Shiromani Akali Dal government would discontinue the women’s assistance programme along with benefits such as free bus travel and free electricity. He cited the women’s assistance scheme as part of that approach and referred to spending on electricity, roads, irrigation and government recruitment. At the Goindwal Sahib programme, CM Mann also paid obeisance and spoke about the religious and historical importance of the area. Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and other leaders attended the event.
