Barnala (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said the state is ready to script a historic day for women as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government fulfils another major guarantee with the rollout of the ‘Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna’. He said mobile phones across Punjab will start buzzing after 12 noon as ₹3,000 is credited to the bank accounts of every woman and ₹4,500 to women belonging to the Scheduled Castes as three months’ Satkar Rashi in a single instalment. During a Lok Milni in Mahal Kalan Halqa (constituency) of Barnala. The Chief Minister said the initiative reflects the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring dignity, respect and financial empowerment for women, while asserting that opponents, rattled by Punjab’s rapid development, are conspiring to obstruct the state’s progress.
Crowd Cheer CM Bhagwant Singh Mann From Packed Rooftops During Mahal KalanLok Milni
As CM Bhagwant Singh Mann addressed the Lok Milni in Mahal Kalan Halqa of Barnala, loud cheers greeted him throughout his speech. The turnout was so overwhelming that the venue ran out of space, forcing hundreds of supporters to watch the rally from the rooftops of nearby houses and buildings. They continued waving posters in support of the Chief Minister and responded enthusiastically to his remarks, with every available rooftop around the venue filled with people eager to be part of the gathering.
Addressing the gathering during Lok Milni, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann announced the rollout of the landmark scheme. “From July 1, women will start receiving money directly in their bank accounts. Under the Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, every woman will receive ₹1,000 per month, while women belonging to the Scheduled Castes will receive ₹1,500 per month. The amount will be transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, and women already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible. Nearly 97% of women in Punjab are expected to benefit from the scheme, for which the state government has allocated ₹9,300 crore in the Budget,” he said.
Emphasising that the initiative is aimed at empowering women with dignity and financial independence, the Chief Minister said, “This scheme may not make women rich, but it will certainly give them dignity and self respect. Women deserve the highest respect because they are the source of life itself. The blessings of mothers and sisters can help conquer every challenge. 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.”
Highlighting the government’s people-centric initiatives, the Chief Minister said, “Our government is working tirelessly for the welfare of the people. We have provided free electricity to households, given government jobs to more than 68,000 youth without corruption, improved roads, closed toll plazas saving nearly ₹70 lakh every day, strengthened education and healthcare, built infrastructure and undertaken several other key initiatives. When our government assumed office, only 22% of canal water was being utilised for irrigation. Today, that figure has increased to more than 80%. We are also providing grants for the development of villages across the state.”
Speaking about the state’s healthcare reforms, the Chief Minister noted, “The Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna is the country’s first-of-its-kind scheme that provides cashless medical treatment of up to ₹10 lakh to every resident family in Punjab. It is a matter of immense pride that Punjab has become the first state in the country to provide such comprehensive healthcare coverage. The scheme has significantly reduced the financial burden on people while ensuring access to quality healthcare. It is aimed at providing universal healthcare to every family in the state, and people have already availed free treatment worth more than ₹650 crore under the scheme.”
Continuing to outline the government’s long-term vision for a healthier, educated and drug-free Punjab, he said, “Our government will dedicate 3,100 newly built stadiums across Punjab by July 15. Promoting sports is the most effective weapon in our crusade against drugs. By encouraging sports, we are channelising the boundless energy of our youth towards excellence. Young people engaged in sports do not even have time to look at drugs because they devote all their energy to excelling in their respective fields. This initiative will go a long way in eliminating the menace of drugs and making the youth equal partners in the socio-economic development of the state,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Highlighting the transformation of the education sector over the last four years, the Chief Minister pointed out, “After assuming office, our government laid special emphasis on the progress and prosperity of Punjab, especially the education sector. Previous governments had reduced government schools to merely Mid Day Meal Centres, but today these schools have been transformed into educational hubs. We are working with a mission to strengthen education and ensure that even the poorest child has access to quality education.”
Sharing the state’s achievement in school education, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann noted, “Due to the tireless efforts of our government, Punjab has surpassed Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi to secure the number one position in primary and middle-school education. We have upgraded primary and middle schools, strengthened the education system, introduced smart classrooms and provided advanced training to teachers. As a result of these sustained efforts, Punjab is now leading the country in school education. The latest figures released by NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog clearly show that Punjab has overtaken Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi to become the top-performing state in primary and middle-school education.”
Emphasising that the achievement is the result of consistent reforms, the Chief Minister said, “For the last four years, our government has focused on teacher training, modern teaching methods and smart classrooms, and today Punjab stands at the top. Earlier, Kerala occupied the number one position, but Punjab has now secured the top rank by a huge margin. We will continue making even greater efforts in the coming years because education is the light that dispels darkness and illuminates the world.”
Reiterating the government’s commitment to ensuring equal educational opportunities for every child, the Chief Minister said, “Our government firmly believes that every child deserves access to quality education, irrespective of his or her economic background. We are making concerted efforts to strengthen the education sector so that children from ordinary families receive the same opportunities to excel as anyone else. Education is the strongest tool for empowering future generations and building a prosperous Punjab, and our government will leave no stone unturned to further strengthen it.”
Referring to the enactment of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, the Chief Minister affirmed, “I am grateful to the Almighty for blessing me with the opportunity to enact the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act, 2026. Every incident of beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji deeply hurt the sentiments of millions of people. The Almighty gave me the wisdom and strength to bring this legislation after detailed consultations with legal experts.”
Underscoring the government’s resolve to prevent future incidents of beadbi, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted, “Our government has 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 again. Earlier, people escaped punishment by claiming that their mind was disturbed or that they were mentally ill. But if someone is genuinely mentally unstable, why does he target only Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji? Why does he not crash into a train engine or touch live electric wires?”
Continuing his attack on the opposition, he said, “The Akalis are opposing the anti-beadbi law tooth and nail because they know they will have to answer for the misdeeds committed in the past. They were hand in glove with the fissiparous forces that hatched conspiracies of beadbi. Now these leaders have to pay for their sinister actions, which is why they and their stooges are opposing this law. However, no opposition will deter me from working for the welfare of the people, and I will continue making every possible effort in that direction.”
Highlighting his direct connection with the people, the Chief Minister contrasted his style of governance with that of previous governments. “My predecessors never met the common people. They stepped out of their luxurious homes only after checking the temperature, whereas I remain available to the people round the clock. These leaders amassed enormous wealth by misusing their official positions and built huge palaces with towering walls and closed gates. They remained inaccessible to the people, and ultimately the people showed them the door,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The Chief Minister said the people of Punjab have repeatedly rejected leaders who betrayed their trust. “The people of Punjab have shown the door to those who looted them turn by turn. They fooled the people for years, but today the people of the state have become wise and are no longer getting swayed by their misleading propaganda. These arrogant politicians always took the people for granted, and that is why they were ultimately rejected by the masses. Today, these opportunist leaders are baffled because the people are not responding to them. Their agenda has always been confined to the welfare of their own families rather than that of the people,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Taking a swipe at Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Badal, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Sukhbir Badal should stop living in a fool’s paradise. Instead of dreaming about returning to power, it is now his family’s turn to be in jail. Gone are the days when these parties played musical chairs and waited for their turn to rule. They safeguarded each other’s interests whenever they were in power, which is why their misdeeds never came to light. Today, the people have elected the AAP, and the party’s symbol, the broom, is cleaning the political system of Punjab. The day is not far when the Akalis will be behind bars for their sins,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He further added, “Sukhbir Badal is completely disconnected from the ground realities of Punjab. Throughout his life, he has lived in a secure environment surrounded by luxuries and opulence. He is a convent-educated political leader who is not even familiar with the basic topography of the state, yet he wants to rule Punjab. Forget everything else, the former Deputy Chief Minister cannot even differentiate between the state’s basic crops because he has very little understanding of Punjab’s fundamental issues.”
Taking potshots at the Congress, he said, The Congress party is on its deathbed and will soon become irrelevant because it has neither a vision for the people nor for Punjab. Its only objective has always been to capture power and plunder the state’s wealth, but that dream will never be fulfilled. The Congress is a divided house that will collapse because of its internal infighting. Ironically, even the senior Congress leaders who come here to unite these squabbling factions do not even know how to pronounce the names of the state leaders,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
On the occasion, Lok Sabha MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Cabinet Minister Barinder Goyal and several other dignitaries were also present.
