CM Bhagwant Mann Says ‘This Is Respect, Not Charity’; 40 Lakh Women Receive Assistance

Punjab Newsline | Pathankot

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday transferred financial assistance to around 40 lakh women across the state under the Mukhyamantri Mawan-Dhiyaan Satkaar Yojana. The amount was credited directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, with women from the general category receiving ₹3,000 and those from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category receiving ₹4,500.

The Chief Minister made the announcement during a program held at White Medical College in Bungul, Pathankot. Addressing the gathering, Mann said the assistance was not charity but a mark of respect for women and a step towards making them economically stronger and more self-reliant.

He also announced that women who register for the scheme in the coming months will receive three months’ assistance together in a single installment, adding that the government has adequate funds to continue the program.

Mann said the government had already transferred money to 32 lakh women on July 1, and with the latest transfer, 40 lakh women have now received assistance in this phase. He described the initiative as one of the AAP government’s biggest guarantees and said it was progressing steadily towards covering a much larger number of women beneficiaries across Punjab.

Speaking in his trademark style, the Chief Minister said that before entering politics, very few people knew him, but the support of women helped him become Chief Minister. Referring to the bank alerts received after the transfer, he remarked that “if women’s phones do not go ‘toon-toon’ with the government’s support, what is the use of being in power?”

Mann emphasized that the money belonged entirely to the women and they were free to spend it according to their needs—whether for their children, household expenses, gifts, or personal requirements. He said the monthly ₹1,500 assistance would not make anyone rich, but it represented the government’s commitment to women’s dignity, financial independence, and empowerment.

Chief Minister further claimed that the government had now fulfilled the last major promise made to women during the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. He reiterated that the scheme was aimed at strengthening women’s role in family and society by giving them direct financial support.

With the latest installment credited on Saturday, mobile phones of lakhs of women across Punjab reportedly buzzed with bank notifications, marking another major direct benefit transfer initiative by the Bhagwant Mann-led government.