Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna is a direct cash-transfer scheme for women in the state, announced as part of the Punjab government’s 2026-27 Budget.
Over 76 lakh women had registered under the scheme, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Thursday, adding that ₹2,381 crore had already been transferred to the bank accounts of 68.06 lakh women.
The scheme was announced by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema while presenting the state’s 2026-27 Budget on March 8, 2026 — International Women’s Day. The Budget had a total expenditure outlay of ₹2,60,437 crore, with the government dedicating the presentation to the women of Punjab.
What is the scheme?
The Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna is a monthly financial assistance programme for women in Punjab.
The scheme was announced as part of the state’s 2026-27 Budget, with the government presenting it as an initiative aimed at strengthening women’s financial security and recognising their contribution to families and society.
At the time of the Budget announcement, the Punjab government said the scheme would potentially cover around 97% of women in the state.
Who is eligible, and how much do they get?
The assistance under the scheme varies by category:
Category Monthly assistance
Women from the general category ₹1,000
Women belonging to Scheduled Castes ₹1,500
The government has said the scheme is intended to have broad coverage, with the Budget announcement estimating that around 97% of women in Punjab could be covered.
The latest government statements also show that the scheme has moved beyond its announcement stage, with more than 68 lakh women already receiving financial assistance.
How many women have benefited?
The latest figures were provided by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on August 27.
According to Mann:
76.11 lakh women have registered under the scheme.
68.06 lakh women have received financial assistance.
₹2,381 crore has been transferred to their bank accounts.
This means nearly nine out of every 10 registered women were among those reflected in the government’s payment figures at the time of Mann’s announcement.
The numbers also indicate that around 8.05 lakh registered women were not included in the beneficiary figure cited by the Chief Minister.
Who are ‘Satkar Sakhis’, and what is their role?
The Punjab government is also using a network of women referred to as ‘Satkar Sakhis’ to take the scheme to potential beneficiaries and facilitate registrations.
Mann said on August 27 that ₹52.20 crore had been transferred to the accounts of 1.37 lakh Satkar Sakhis, recognising their role in taking the scheme to women across the state.
According to the Chief Minister, each Satkar Sakhi receives ₹300 for every registration she facilitates. Mann said the initiative could enable Satkar Sakhis to collectively earn more than ₹200 crore.
The Chief Minister credited their work with helping more than 75 lakh women register under the scheme.
What has the government said about the scheme’s future?
Mann has said the Punjab government’s commitment to women’s welfare would remain unwavering and that the financial assistance scheme would not be discontinued as long as the Aam Aadmi Party remains in power in Punjab.
Addressing the gathering virtually on August 27, he also framed the scheme as a measure of dignity and financial support rather than simply an income-transfer programme. He said the assistance may not make women rich, but would provide them with dignity and self-respect.
Punjab AAP women’s wing president and MLA Amandeep Kaur also credited the Satkar Sakhis and the women’s wing with helping take the scheme to women across Punjab, saying their role went beyond helping women fill out forms to becoming a source of support in transforming their lives.
Mann’s latest figures show that the scheme has already moved from announcement to large-scale implementation, with 68.06 lakh women receiving ₹2,381 crore so far. With 76.11 lakh registrations, the programme has become one of Punjab’s largest women-focused cash-transfer initiatives by beneficiary count.