The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Thursday, 28 May 2026 that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged women across the state to complete their registration and obtain beneficiary cards under the 'Maavan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana' (Mothers-Daughters Respect Scheme), a monthly cash transfer programme promising Rs 1,000 per month to eligible women and Rs 1,500 per month to women from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community.

What the scheme offers

Addressing women across Punjab, CM Mann said — in Punjabi — 'ਮਾਵਾਂ ਧੀਆਂ ਸਤਿਕਾਰ ਯੋਜਨਾ' ('Maavan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana') will provide a monthly 'honour amount' (sanman rashi) to women statewide. General category beneficiaries will receive Rs 1,000 per month, while women belonging to Scheduled Caste communities will receive Rs 1,500 per month. The Chief Minister specifically called on women to ensure their registration process is completed and their beneficiary cards obtained without delay.

Context

The Aam Aadmi Party swept to power in Punjab in the March 2022 assembly elections, with a manifesto that prominently featured direct financial assistance to women and low-income households. The scheme's name — invoking mothers and daughters — reflects a pattern of gender-targeted welfare branding adopted by several Indian state governments in recent years. The differentiated payout for SC women signals an attempt to layer caste-based equity into the programme's design.

Policy backdrop

Since 2022, multiple Indian state governments have rolled out monthly cash transfer schemes aimed specifically at women, making such programmes a visible marker of competitive welfare politics. Punjab's AAP administration has consistently prioritised direct benefit transfers as a core delivery mechanism. Schemes of this kind typically require a structured registration drive and the issuance of physical or digital beneficiary cards before disbursements can begin — making CM Mann's public appeal for registration a critical operational step.

Stakeholders and impact

The primary beneficiaries are women across Punjab, with a specific enhanced benefit tier for SC community women — a demographic that has historically faced compounded economic disadvantage. The registration-and-card model means the scheme's reach will depend directly on outreach infrastructure at the district and block level. Civil society groups and panchayat bodies are likely to play a role in ensuring last-mile registration, particularly in rural areas.

What's next

The immediate priority, as signalled by CM Mann's public address, is driving up registration numbers before disbursements begin. Observers will watch Punjab's state budget allocations to assess whether sufficient funds have been earmarked for sustained monthly payouts across all eligible beneficiaries. The timeline for first payments and the geographic roll-out across Punjab's 23 districts will be key indicators of the scheme's operational credibility.