Dhuri, July 1 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday rolled out the monthly Mukh Mantri Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna for nearly 40 lakh adult women with an outlay of Rs 9, 300 crore, fulfilling AAP's last election guarantee announced ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections.
Launching the scheme here, the Chief Minister announced the direct transfer of three months' Satkar Raashi into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries, with every woman above the age of 18 years receiving Rs 3, 000 and women from the Scheduled Caste category receiving Rs 4, 500 that would help them live with dignity and self-respect.
The payments began reaching beneficiaries during the launch ceremony, with women receiving SMS confirmations on their mobile phones.
Addressing the gathering, CM Mann described the day as historic and said the government had rolled out this landmark initiative under which more than 40 lakh women have already been registered.
He said the Satkar Raashi has started from July and it will pave the way for women empowerment. He added that this is an ambitious scheme and the government has launched it with complete planning to ensure that it continues permanently.
Sharing details of the scheme, he said women beneficiaries above the age of 18 years would receive mobile notifications regarding the financial assistance of Rs 1, 000 to every woman and Rs 1, 500 in the case of Scheduled Caste women.
He said the funds will be directly transferred into bank accounts and women who are already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible under the scheme.
Around 97 per cent of women in Punjab are expected to benefit, and the state government has earmarked Rs 9, 300 crore in the Budget for this purpose, he added.
Highlighting the larger social significance of the initiative, the Chief Minister said that although the financial assistance may not make the women rich, it would certainly provide them with dignity and self-respect.
He remarked that women deserve the highest respect because they are the source of life itself. The blessings of mothers and sisters can help overcome every challenge in the world, he said, adding that 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.
Reiterating his government's commitment to the scheme, CM Mann said as a brother, son and nephew of the women of Punjab, he assured every beneficiary that the scheme will never stop because it is an act of trust reposed in the people.
He said the mobile phones of women will start beeping with notifications, ushering in a new era of prosperity where women live with dignity and pride. This reflects the government's respect for women, and the state government will leave no stone unturned in pursuing this noble cause, he added.
Speaking about his government's welfare-oriented governance model, the Chief Minister said the tax money collected from the people belonged to them, and the government is spending it judiciously for their welfare.
He said people's money is coming back to the people through development, schools, hospitals and roads. The state government is working only for the people, he added.
He said the government has provided free electricity to households, given more than 68, 000 government jobs without corruption, improved roads, closed toll plazas saving Rs 70 lakh every day, strengthened quality education and healthcare, built infrastructure and undertaken several other major initiatives.
Today, three months' payments have been transferred into the bank accounts of women, and this will go a long way in strengthening their empowerment, the Chief Minister added.