Punjab Budget: Will Income Tax-Paying Women Also Get Rs 1,000 Per Month? Check Who's Excluded

Last Updated:March 10, 2026, 17:40 IST

The Punjab government announced the Mukhyamantri Maavan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, offering Rs 1,000 monthly to eligible women and Rs 1,500 to SC women

In a major push towards women’s empowerment, the Punjab government has announced a new financial assistance scheme that promises direct monthly cash support to women across the state. The announcement came as part of the Punjab Budget 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

At the centre of the budget is the Mukhyamantri Maavan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana,, a flagship welfare initiative that aims to provide Rs 1,000 per month to every eligible adult woman in Punjab, with Rs 1,500 per month for women from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. The scheme will transfer funds directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts and is expected to benefit nearly 97% of women in the state, making it one of the largest direct cash support programmes for women in India.

The scheme was formally announced around the occasion of International Women’s Day, highlighting the state government’s focus on women’s financial empowerment and welfare.

Mukhyamantri Maavan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana: What is the scheme?

The Mukhyamantri Maavan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana is designed as a direct cash transfer scheme aimed at strengthening women’s financial independence and easing household expenses.

Under this initiative, Rs 1,000 per month will be transferred to every eligible adult woman in Punjab. Women belonging to the Scheduled Caste category will receive Rs 1,500 per month, which means they will get Rs 500 more than women from the general category.

The amount will be credited directly to bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. The state government has earmarked Rs 9,300 crore in the 2026–27 budget to implement the programme.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the initiative would be a first-of-its-kind programme globally. “I want to clarify that this scheme will be the first Direct Benefit Transfer (Universal Cash Transfer) scheme for women not only in India but also in the whole world. Every woman above the age of 18 in Punjab will be eligible to register under this scheme," he said.

Key highlights of the scheme

• Rs 1,000 per month will be given to every eligible adult woman in Punjab
• Scheduled Caste women will receive Rs 1,500 per month
• Funds will be transferred directly to bank accounts through DBT
• The scheme is expected to cover nearly 97% of women in Punjab
• Rs 9,300 crore has been allocated in the state budget for the programme
• Women already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible

When will registration begin?

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the registration process for the scheme will start on April 13, 2026, coinciding with the festival of Baisakhi, one of the most significant cultural celebrations in Punjab.

Speaking to reporters inside the Vidhan Sabha, Mann said the government intends to roll out the scheme swiftly after registration begins. He also highlighted that the Aam Aadmi Party government has been fulfilling key promises made to the people of Punjab during its first term, and this scheme is one of the major commitments made to women voters.

When will women start receiving the money?

According to Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the monthly payments under the scheme will begin from April 1, 2026. This means that even if the registration process continues afterward, eligible women will receive payments retrospectively from April, ensuring they do not lose any benefits due to delays in registration.

Who is eligible for the scheme?

The scheme is aimed at covering a vast majority of women in Punjab. Women must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Punjab to qualify for the benefits.

Every eligible adult woman will receive the benefit individually, meaning more than one woman in the same household can receive the monthly assistance if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility conditions include

• Women must be at least 18 years old
• Applicants must be residents of Punjab
• Women already receiving pensions such as old-age pension, widow/destitute pension, or disability pension will also be eligible

Who will not be eligible?

To ensure the funds reach those who need them most, the government has placed some exclusions under the scheme.

The following categories of women will not receive the benefit

• Current or former permanent government employees
• Women who pay income tax
• Current or former Members of Parliament (MPs)
• Current or former Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

However, the government has clarified that women who file income tax returns but do not pay income tax may still be eligible. In other words, women filing ‘NIL’ income tax returns will be included in the scheme.

How to apply for the scheme

The government is expected to soon release the detailed application process and guidelines for registration. Typically, for schemes like this, applicants will need to register through an official government portal or designated centres set up by the state government.

The likely process will include

1. Registration through an official portal or government centres
2. Submission of identity proof and age proof
3. Providing bank account details for DBT transfer
4. Verification of documents by government authorities

Once the verification process is completed, the approved beneficiaries will begin receiving the monthly financial assistance directly in their bank accounts.

Why the scheme matters

The Punjab government believes that regular financial assistance can significantly improve women’s economic independence. By providing a fixed monthly amount, the programme aims to help women manage household expenses and increase their participation in financial decisions within families.

Officials say the scheme is expected to strengthen financial security for millions of women across Punjab and enable them to become more self-reliant in meeting their everyday needs.

With nearly 97% of women in the state expected to benefit, the Mukhyamantri Maavan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana could become one of the largest state-level women-focused welfare programmes in India and a key pillar of the government’s social welfare agenda.

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