Marking the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar with a decisive welfare push, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday rolled out a near-universal women-centric scheme in Punjab, promising assured monthly financial support of ₹1000 to ₹1500 to women across the state. Calling it a true tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of social justice and equality, the Chief Minister launched the registration process, making all women above 18 years eligible with a simple three-document requirement, while ensuring doorstep facilitation through a massive network of camps and support staff.
The rollout begins in nine constituencies and will expand across the remaining 108 from May 15, with payments starting July and no deadline for registration, effectively guaranteeing benefits to every eligible woman regardless of when she enrolls. With 26,000 registration centres and dedicated Mahila Satkar Sakhis deployed in every village and ward, the scheme is designed for scale, access and certainty, positioning it among the most expansive direct financial support initiatives for women in the country.
Accompanied by senior AAP leader and Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that the scheme has been rolled out as a pilot across nine locations including Adampur, Malout, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Dirba, Sunam, Moga, Kotkapura, Batala and Patiala Rural. “Registration for women in remaining 108 constituencies will start from May 15 onwards. Monthly payments of ₹1000 or ₹1500 will start from July 2026 onwards,” he added.
Reassuring women about accessibility, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “There is no deadline for registration and the ladies need not worry as it doesn’t matter when they register whether April 15 or May 15 or August 15.” He further clarified that delayed registration would not affect benefits, adding, “They will get their full payment payable from July onwards, so even if they register at the end of September, they will get full payment for three months meaning July, August and September.”
Detailing the documentation process, he said, “For registration only three documents are required including Aadhaar with Punjab address, Voter ID from Punjab and Bank passbook. In case of SC women SC certificate is also required.” Addressing concerns of women lacking caste certificates, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added, “I know many of my SC sisters and mothers don’t have a certificate but they don’t have to worry and just apply for their certificate.”
He further assured uninterrupted benefits, stating, “If that is taking time then don’t have to worry as they too can register under the scheme without the certificate and start getting ₹1000 monthly. However, whenever their certificate comes, the state government will pay them a difference of ₹500 per month as well from July onwards. There is no need to worry on this front.”
To ensure last-mile coverage, the Chief Minister announced a grassroots outreach mechanism. “To ensure 100% coverage of all women above 18 years and to handhold them through the registration process, the Punjab government will engage Mahila Satkar Sakhis in every village and every ward across Punjab,” he said.
Explaining their role, he added, “Mahila Satkar Sakhis will come to the home of beneficiaries and explain to them benefits of the Scheme, clarify their all doubts, and handover the registration form. They will explain the entire registration process to the beneficiaries along with what documents are needed and solve all their queries and problems.”
He further noted, “If the beneficiary is missing any document like voter ID or bank account, these Sakhis will help them in getting that made too. Mahila Satkar Sakhi will guide them at every step.”
On ease of access, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Once they have filled in their registration form and have all your documents ready, they can visit their nearest registration centre and submit it there.” He added that the government has ensured extensive infrastructure, stating, “To ensure that women face no hassle in traveling for registrations, the Punjab government will be allowing registration at more than 26,000 locations including all Anganwadi Centres, all Sewa Kendras and all Municipal Corporation/Committee offices in urban areas.”.
Outlining the benefits, he said, “The scheme will ensure a cash benefit of ₹1000 per month to the women from other category and ₹1500 per month to women from Scheduled Castes (SCs).” Emphasising its impact, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “This scheme will have a monumental effect on the upliftment of women by making them independent and empowering them.”
Highlighting the broader socio-economic vision, he said, “It will give them choice and clubbed with financial literacy, it will promote savings, thrift and investment and will enable dignity in fulfilling their small desires.” He acknowledged existing gaps, adding, “Punjab has already made considerable progress in social welfare and human development indicators; however, a large number of women across the state, particularly those belonging to economically vulnerable households, continue to lack independent financial security.”
Stressing the importance of economic autonomy, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Strengthening women’s financial autonomy is essential for improving household welfare, promoting gender equity, and enhancing women’s participation in social and economic decision-making.”
He further underlined the scale of the initiative, saying, “This scheme adopts a near-universal eligibility framework, covering all women aged 18 years and above, subject only to limited exclusion criteria. The scheme is therefore expected to benefit more than 97% of the women, making it one of the most comprehensive women-centric social protection initiatives in the country.”
Calling it a transformative intervention, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The scheme represents a landmark step towards ensuring direct economic support to women across the state and reflects the Government’s vision that women’s empowerment must translate into tangible financial independence.”
Clarifying eligibility, he added, “Every woman aged 18 years or above and registered as a voter in the state and possessing a valid Aadhar Card reflecting Punjab residency and having a valid Voter ID of Punjab issued by the Election Commission of India shall be eligible to be enrolled as a beneficiary under the Scheme.”
On financial commitment, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “A sum of ₹9300 crore has already been sanctioned in the Budget for Financial Year 2026-27 and given the scale and outreach of the scheme, it is expected to become one of the largest women-centric social welfare initiatives undertaken by the Government of Punjab.”
Reiterating the inspiration behind the initiative, he concluded, “This is a humble tribute to Baba Sahib BR Ambedkar who was an ardent votary of upliftment of women by empowering them and making them an active partner in the socio-economic development of women.”
On the occasion, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann handed over registration certificates to three beneficiaries including Harbhans Kaur, Diksha and Simran. The beneficiaries welcomed the initiative and expressed that it would significantly strengthen their financial independence. “This path breaking initiative will go a long way in our development and for the first time any state government and the Chief Minister had thought about us,” they said.
Among those present were Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora, Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr. Baljeet Kaur, Harbhajan Singh ETO and Mohinder Bhagat, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, Lok Sabha MP Dr. Rajkumar Chabbewal, Chairman Punjab State Cooperative Agriculture Development Bank Pawan Kumar Tinu and others.
Near-Universal Women Empowerment Scheme Rolled Out with ₹1000–₹1500 Monthly Support, Doorstep Registration Across 26,000 Centres
The Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, launched on April 14, 2026 on the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, is a major women-centric welfare initiative of the Punjab Government aimed at ensuring financial independence for women. Registration for beneficiaries will begin as a pilot from April 15 in nine constituencies including Adampur, Malout, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Dirba, Sunam, Moga, Kotkapura, Batala and Patiala Rural, while registration across the remaining 108 constituencies will commence from May 15 onwards.
Under the scheme, women from the general category will receive ₹1000 per month, while women from Scheduled Castes will receive ₹1500 per month, with payments scheduled to begin from July 2026. Notably, there is no deadline for registration, and all eligible women will receive full payments from July onwards regardless of when they register, ensuring that even late applicants receive arrears.
For registration, only three basic documents are required: Aadhaar card with Punjab address, Punjab voter ID, and bank passbook. Women from Scheduled Castes are additionally required to submit an SC certificate; however, those who do not currently possess the certificate can still register and begin receiving ₹1000 per month, with the remaining ₹500 to be paid retrospectively once the certificate is submitted.
To ensure universal coverage and ease of access, the Punjab Government will deploy Mahila Satkar Sakhis in every village and ward to provide door-to-door assistance, explain the scheme, and help beneficiaries complete documentation. Registration can be completed at more than 26,000 centres across Punjab, including Anganwadi Centres, Sewa Kendras, and municipal offices in urban areas, ensuring that women face no barriers in availing the benefits of the scheme.
