Bhagwant Mann government of Punjab presented its last budget before the elections. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema today (08 March) presented the state’s budget of Rs 260437 crore for the financial year 2026-27. Through this budget, the Aam Aadmi Party government has announced to fulfill the guarantee of giving Rs 1000 per month to women at the time of elections.

In the budget, the government has announced the implementation of ‘Mukhyamantri Maanva Dhiyan Satkar Yojana’. Under this scheme, women will be given one thousand rupees every month. Women above 18 years of age in the state will get one thousand rupees per month under this scheme.

Rs 1500 every month to SC women

Existing government employees or retired government employees, women and women paying income tax will not get benefits under this scheme. Women taking other government schemes like old age pension, widow pension, disability pension will get money under this scheme. Under this scheme, women from SC category will get Rs 1500 per month.

When will the registration process start?

The government has kept Rs 9300 crore for expenditure on this scheme in the financial year 2026-27. The Finance Minister has announced that the registration process for this scheme will start from April 13 on the occasion of Baisakhi. However, the government has not yet clarified when it will start giving money. Officials have said on the condition of anonymity that the government will give money to the beneficiary women from the month of April, hence those who are registered will get the money from the month of April onwards.

Punjab Finance Minister cornered Haryana Government

In his budget speech, the Finance Minister has also indirectly targeted the Haryana government. He said that many states have promised to announce similar schemes, but they limit it to a small section of women, while ignoring a large section of women who are financially dependent on men for their basic needs.

Giving an example, the Finance Minister said that one of our neighboring states announced a similar scheme, but limited it only to families with an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh, in which only 20 per cent of all adult women could participate. “The Punjab government will not give in to such statements and has decided to become the first state to ensure that all adult women are covered under the scheme,” he said.

Punjab Budget 2025: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented a budget of 2025-25 in the assembly on Wednesday (March 26). While presenting the budget, he said in the House that a health card will be issued by the AAP government to all the people of the state. So that people of Punjab can avail cashless treatment up to Rs 10 lakh in government and private hospitals.

Finance Minister Harpal Cheema further said, “The Punjab government has allocated Rs 778 crore under the Better Health Insurance Scheme. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented a budget of Rs 2,36,080 crore for the year 2025-26.”

14 percent increase in tax revenue

The Finance Minister said that the Bhagwant Maan government has worked to strengthen the economic side of Punjab, weak from the economic side. Punjab has reached 15th position in the country in terms of per capita income. This year, GSDP has increased by 9 percent. A target of 10 percent increase has been set in the next financial year. The tax revenue of Punjab has increased by 14 percent.

65 lakh families will get the benefit of insurance scheme

Harpal Singh Cheema said in his budget speech that for the first time in the history of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann Sarkar has decided to universal state health insurance scheme in the upcoming financial year and ‘cover’ all 65 lakh families of the state. He said that there will be no restriction or discrimination in this scheme. Every person or urban, rich or poor will get its benefit.

He said that apart from this, the Punjab government will make drug related calculations for the first time to understand the ill effects of intoxication, use of drug addiction centers, etc. The state government will deploy 5 thousand home guards with the Border Security Force (BSF) in the border areas and set up a second defense line.

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