Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday announced the release of another instalment under the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, with the state government saying that thousands of women received direct payments in their bank accounts.
The announcement was made during a programme at Sri Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran, where Mann said the government had transferred the three-month instalment covering October, November and December directly to eligible women.
₹1,262.54 Crore Transferred to Women
According to figures released by the Punjab Government, ₹1,262.54 crore was transferred to the accounts of approximately 36.87 lakh women under the second instalment of the scheme.
Mann said eligible women received ₹3,000 to ₹4,500 for the three-month period, depending on the applicable category. The government said the earlier instalment had involved ₹2,562.33 crore distributed among 73.99 lakh women. With the latest transfer, the total amount distributed under the scheme was stated to have reached ₹3,824.87 crore.
The Punjab Government describes the scheme as a measure intended to provide financial assistance and greater financial independence to women.
What Is the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna?
Under the scheme, eligible women in the general category receive ₹1,000 per month, while eligible women belonging to Scheduled Caste communities receive ₹1,500 per month, according to Punjab Newsline’s report on the latest disbursement.
The government has said that there are no household-level restrictions preventing multiple eligible women from the same family from receiving the benefit. Mann has also stated that the government aims to expand the scheme’s coverage significantly.
Mann Says Welfare Money Is Being Returned to People
Addressing the gathering, Mann said governments collect taxes from citizens and have a responsibility to spend public money on welfare and development.
He cited the women’s assistance scheme alongside other initiatives, including free electricity and agricultural infrastructure, as examples of government spending aimed at providing direct benefits to residents.
The Chief Minister also linked the continuation of several welfare measures to the future political administration of Punjab, saying that an opposition government could discontinue schemes such as the women’s monthly assistance and free bus travel for women. These statements are Mann’s political claims about what rival parties would do if they formed the government.
‘Tunn-Tunn’ Messages Reach Beneficiaries
The transfer has generated attention among beneficiaries, with reports highlighting the mobile notifications informing women that money had been credited to their bank accounts.
The Punjab Government has referred to these payment alerts as “Tunn-Tunn” messages and presented the direct transfers as evidence of its approach of delivering welfare benefits directly to beneficiaries.
At the Goindwal Sahib event, Mann said the latest transfer was part of the government’s broader welfare programme for women and daughters across Punjab.
Government and Opposition Debate
The latest announcement comes amid political discussion over welfare schemes and their continuation in Punjab.
Mann has argued that his government’s programmes provide direct financial assistance to ordinary families. He has also criticised the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal while defending the performance of his administration.
The claims about the performance of the government and what opposition parties would do with existing schemes are political assertions and should be distinguished from the independently verifiable figures concerning the money transferred.
What Happens Next?
The October–December instalment marks another stage in the rollout of the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna. The government says it intends to continue expanding the programme and reach a larger number of eligible women.
For beneficiaries, the immediate development is the direct transfer of the latest three-month instalment into their bank accounts. For Punjab’s wider political debate, the scheme is likely to remain part of discussions over government expenditure, welfare policy and the continuation of benefits in future administrations.
