Punjab Cabinet clears ₹9,300 crore women’s DBT scheme; over 97% beneficiaries targeted

Chandigarh: The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday approved the rollout of the ‘Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna’, a large-scale direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme aimed at providing monthly financial assistance to women across the state.

The scheme proposes ₹1,000 per month for general category women and ₹1,500 for women belonging to Scheduled Castes, with the government estimating coverage of over 97 per cent of Punjab’s female population. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the Chief Minister.

Backed by an allocation of ₹9,300 crore in the 2026–27 Budget, the initiative is positioned among the largest women-centric welfare programmes in the country, signalling the Aam Aadmi Party government’s continued focus on direct income support models ahead of evolving socio-economic challenges.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the scheme is designed to strengthen women’s financial autonomy, particularly among economically vulnerable households. Officials emphasised that the absence of independent income remains a key barrier to women’s participation in household decision-making and broader economic activity.

The DBT framework ensures that funds will be transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, reducing leakages and improving delivery efficiency. Notably, there will be no cap on the number of eligible women within a family, and existing pension beneficiaries will continue to receive their current entitlements in addition to the new assistance.

Eligibility criteria include women aged 18 years and above who are registered voters in Punjab and possess valid Aadhaar-linked identification confirming state residency. The government has also planned extensive enrolment drives, particularly in rural areas, to streamline documentation and bank account activation.

Parallel administrative and infrastructure decisions

Alongside the flagship welfare scheme, the Cabinet cleared a series of administrative and policy measures:

Planning Department Recruitment:Approval was granted to fill 70 direct recruitment posts following the ongoing restructuring of the Economic Policy and Planning Board and the Directorate of Statistics.

Power Sector Reforms:Amendments were approved in the eligibility criteria for top positions in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited, aimed at strengthening leadership selection.

Coal Mine Operations: The Cabinet approved contractual hiring for operational requirements at the Pachhwara Central Coal Mine in Jharkhand, a key fuel source for Punjab’s thermal power generation.

Industrial and regulatory policy changes

In a move targeting industrial ease of doing business, the Cabinet approved amendments allowing conversion of leasehold industrial plots into freehold, including cases where properties are mortgaged, subject to compliance and bank clearances. A uniform conversion fee of 5 per cent will apply under specified conditions.

Further, the Cabinet cleared the introduction of the Punjab Common Infrastructure (Regulation and Maintenance) (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to overhaul the framework governing industrial infrastructure through the creation of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), which will manage services such as roads, lighting, drainage, and security on a no-profit, no-loss basis. A district-level monitoring mechanism is also proposed to address administrative gaps and dispute resolution.

Sutlej desilting cleared to accelerate highway projects

The Cabinet also approved relaxation of norms for desilting in the Sutlej River to facilitate the supply of earth material for infrastructure works by the National Highways Authority of India. The decision is expected to expedite highway construction while aligning with ongoing flood management and river channelisation efforts.

Officials indicated that the move is part of a broader strategy to synchronise infrastructure development with environmental management, particularly in flood-prone regions of the state.

Political and economic context

The rollout of a near-universal women’s income support scheme comes at a time when states are increasingly leveraging welfare-driven fiscal strategies to address inflationary pressures and rural distress. Punjab’s approach mirrors a broader shift towards targeted DBT interventions, though its scale and near-universal coverage set it apart from comparable programmes.

With significant budgetary commitment and administrative restructuring underway, the effectiveness of implementation—particularly enrolment accuracy and fiscal sustainability—will be closely tracked in the coming months.