Marking a historic step towards women’s economic empowerment, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that the countdown for the Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna has begun, with the first installment of three months’ Satkar Rashi set to be credited directly into the bank accounts of eligible women on July 1. Under the scheme, Dalit mothers and sisters will receive ₹4,500, while women from all other categories will get ₹3,000.

During a Lok Milni programme after inaugurating various development works in Village Chanarthal Kalan of Fatehgarh Sahib constituency, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the initiative reflects the AAP Government’s commitment to ensuring dignity, financial security, and social empowerment for women, adding that the assistance will continue uninterrupted as long as the AAP Government remains in Punjab.

Addressing the Lok Milni in Fatehgarh Sahib,CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “After nine days, on July 1, women beneficiaries above the age of 18 years will receive notifications on their mobile phones informing them about the financial assistance being credited to their accounts. Women belonging to the general category will receive ₹1,000 per month while Scheduled Caste women will receive ₹1,500 per month. The money will be transferred directly into their bank accounts without any middlemen. Women who are already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible under the scheme. Nearly 97% women in Punjab are expected to benefit from this initiative and the Punjab Government has made a budgetary provision of ₹9,300 crore for it.”

The Chief Minister stated, “This financial assistance may not make women rich, but it will certainly give them dignity, self-respect and confidence. Women deserve the highest respect because they are the source of life itself. The blessings of mothers and sisters help overcome every challenge in the world. 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. When women become financially empowered, families prosper and society moves forward.”

Speaking on another issue, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The Punjab Government will not allow any genuine vote to be deleted during the ongoing SIR exercise by the Election Commission of India. I want to caution the people that the BJP may try to misuse the SIR process to delete valid votes, as has happened in other poll-bound states. However, we are fully vigilant and will not allow the nefarious designs of the saffron party to succeed. Every genuine voter in Punjab will be protected.”

The Chief Minister said, “My predecessors never met the common people. They used to come out of their luxurious homes only after checking the temperature. On the other hand, I remain available to the people round the clock. Public service is not an occasional activity for me, it is my responsibility.”

Taking a swipe at previous governments, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “These leaders built huge palaces by amassing enormous wealth through misuse of their official positions. The walls of those palatial residences were high and their gates remained closed to ordinary people. They remained inaccessible to the masses and ultimately the people

showed them the door. When leaders stop listening to people, people eventually stop listening to those leaders.”

“The people of Punjab have repeatedly rejected those who looted them turn by turn. These leaders fooled the people for a very long time, but Punjabis are now wise enough not to be swayed by their misleading propaganda. These arrogant politicians always took the people of Punjab for granted and ultimately paid the political price for it. Today, they are baffled because people are not responding to them. Their entire agenda revolves around the welfare of their own families rather than the welfare of the people,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Continuing his attack on previous rulers, the Chief Minister said, “These leaders studied in convent schools in the hills and remained completely disconnected from ground realities. They were unaware about the money, properties and even the buses they owned. During their regimes, they exploited people by illegally seeking shares in successful ventures across the state. Such practices pushed Punjab backwards. These leaders ruined the state and their hands were drenched with the blood of Punjab’s youth.”

Highlighting the progress achieved by the present government, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that Punjab’s development has been put back on track. The Punjab Government is accelerating the pace of development with every passing day. We have filled a gap of nearly seventy years and are making concerted efforts to build a Rangla Punjab.”

“The AAP Government is perhaps the first government in the country that is implementing the People’s Manifesto in its true spirit. Every genuine demand raised by the people is being translated into action. We do not make promises merely for elections. We fulfil them once entrusted with responsibility,” he added.

Taking on the Akali Dal leadership, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Sukhbir Singh Badal is not aware of the ground realities of Punjab because throughout his life he has lived in a secure environment surrounded by luxuries and opulence. He wants to attain political power in Punjab, but he is not even aware of the basic topography of the state.”

“Leaving everything aside, the former Deputy Chief Minister cannot even differentiate between the basic crops grown in Punjab. He has very little understanding of the issues concerning ordinary people. Someone who does not understand Punjab cannot provide leadership to Punjab,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

The Chief Minister further said, “The sins committed by these leaders are unpardonable. The people of Punjab can never forgive them for their long saga of misdeeds. Those memories remain fresh in the minds of the people even today.”

“These are opportunist leaders who change their colours and their stance like a chameleon according to their convenience and political interests. They patronised gangsters in Punjab and infused drugs into the veins of the youth by shielding drug smugglers. The people of Punjab have not forgotten this reality,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

“The Akali leadership is once again building castles in the air in an attempt to mislead the people of Punjab. However, Punjabis will not be swayed by such propaganda. The people will never forgive the Akalis for their sins and will once again teach them a befitting lesson,” he added.

Referring to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act, 2026, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “I am grateful to the Almighty for blessing me with the opportunity to enact this historic legislation. Whenever incidents of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji took place, the psyche of millions of people across the world was deeply hurt.”

“The Almighty blessed me with the wisdom and strength to bring this Bill after extensive consultations with legal experts. We have drafted this law with utmost care so that no future amendment or loophole can weaken it. This legislation will act as a strong deterrent against anti-social elements and ensure that no one dares to commit such a heinous crime in future,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

“For years, people escaped punishment by claiming that their mind was disturbed or that they were mentally ill. Such arguments were often used to avoid accountability and offenders would walk free. We have taken serious note of this issue while framing the legislation,” he added.

Questioning such claims, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “If someone is genuinely mentally unstable, why does he only target Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji? Why does he not crash into a train engine or touch live electric wires? The truth is that many such incidents were deliberate and orchestrated.”

“That is why we have incorporated a provision in the law that even if a person is medically declared mentally unstable, his custodians, parents, guardians or caretakers can also face criminal charges. There must be accountability and responsibility. No loophole should be available to anyone seeking to escape punishment,” said the Chief Minister.

Taking another swipe at the Akali leadership, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “When they were in power, they never showed any sincerity in enacting such a law. The truth is that their intentions were flawed. Sacrilege incidents occurred during their tenure and they failed to provide justice. They allowed such incidents to take place because they wanted political gains from them.”

“They admitted their mistakes before Sri Akal Takht Sahib but later denied them publicly. Those who can lie before the Takht can never be loyal to anyone. The people must remain cautious of such leaders whose only objective is to attain power and plunder the state,” he added.

The Chief Minister further said, “The Akalis misused religion for their vested interests. The Jathedars are appointed from the pockets of the Akalis and therefore many of them are indulging in politics. These people have no agenda for Punjab. Their sole objective is to defame me by hook or by crook. However, the people know their true character and will never be swayed by such theatrics.”

Turning his attention towards the Congress, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The Congress party is on its deathbed and will soon become irrelevant because it has neither a vision for Punjab nor a roadmap for the future. Its only objective is to assume power and plunder the wealth of the state, but that dream will never be fulfilled.”

“The Congress is a divided house. It is collapsing because of its own infighting. The irony is that senior Congress leaders who come to Punjab to unite these squabbling factions are not even aware of how to pronounce the names of the leaders they are trying to reconcile. Such is the condition of the party today,” he added.

Highlighting welfare initiatives of the state government, the Chief Minister said, “Every single penny of the state exchequer is being utilised for the well-being of the people. More than 90% households in Punjab are receiving free electricity. Farmers are receiving power supply during daytime, something that was unprecedented in the past.”

“At a time when public assets across the country are being handed over to a select few corporate friends by the Union Government at throwaway prices, the Punjab Government created history by purchasing a private thermal plant and naming it after Sri Guru Amardass Ji. This reflects our commitment towards protecting public assets and serving the people,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Speaking about healthcare reforms, the Chief Minister said, “The Punjab Government has launched Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, the first-of-its-kind scheme in the country that provides cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh for every resident family in Punjab.”

“It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that Punjab has become the first state in India to offer such comprehensive healthcare coverage. This historic initiative has significantly reduced the financial burden on families while ensuring quality healthcare services for everyone. The scheme is aimed at providing universal healthcare to every family in Punjab and people have already availed free treatment worth more than ₹650 crore under it,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.