Punjab Budget 2026: ₹1,000 Monthly Aid for Women, Biggest Ever ₹2.6 Lakh Crore Budget Announced

The State of the Punjab Budget 2026-27 was presented by the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. He has introduced a major welfare initiative for women under the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana. This scheme proposes ₹1,000 monthly financial assistance for women and also while Dalit women will receive ₹1,500 per month. The total size of the Punjab Budget 2026 has been set at ₹2,60,437 crore. The finance minister described it as a “Saari Guarantiyan Puri Karan Wala Budget”.

Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana: Key Highlights

The big announcement in the Punjab Budget 2026 is the launch of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana. Which is aimed at the strengthening financial security for women.

Key features of the scheme includes

• ₹1,000 per month financial assistance for the women
• ₹1,500 per month for the Dalit women
• Around 97% of women are expected to be covered under this eligibility criteria
• Total allocation of the ₹9,300 crore

Categories of women who are not be eligible are,

• Government employees and pensioners
• Income tax payers
• Sitting or former MPs and MLAs

Women already receiving social security pensions will still be eligible for the scheme.

Record Allocation for Women Welfare Schemes

The Punjab Budget 2026 which is dedicates a major portion of its spending to women empowerment and social welfare programmes.

Important allocations includes are,

• ₹18,304 crore for women welfare schemes
• ₹600 crore for free bus travel scheme for women
• ₹932 crore under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
• ₹65 crore for free sanitary pads under Navi Disha Scheme

Major Spending on Education and Sikhiya Kranti 2.0

The Education has received a substantial boost in the Punjab Budget 2026 with a total allocation of ₹19,279 crore. Also a representing a 7 percent increase over the previous year.

The government also announced the Sikhiya Kranti 2.0 initiative. And it is a major school reform programme.

Key features include,

• ₹3,500 crore investment for school transformation
• Collaboration with the World Bank
• Plan to improve education infrastructure and teaching quality

Agriculture Sector Receives ₹15,377 Crore

Agriculture the main part of the of Punjab’s economy, will receive ₹15,377 crore under the Punjab Budget 2026. And it will be marking a 6 percent increase.

Important initiatives include

• ₹40 crore for Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)
• ₹600 crore subsidy for crop residue management to prevent stubble burning
• ₹7,715 crore power subsidy for farmers
• ₹1,300 crore for climate-resilient horticulture crops
• ₹270 crore for sugarcane payment support

Healthcare Sector Expansion

The Punjab Budget 2026 also strengthens healthcare services through increased funding.

Major initiatives include,

• ₹2,000 crore for Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana
• Free health insurance coverage of up to ₹10 lakh per family
• Establishment of 143 new Aam Aadmi Clinics
• Upgradation of 308 health centres into clinics

Infrastructure and Rural Development

The Punjab Budget 2026 includes large investments in rural roads and urban infrastructure.

Key projects include,

• Upgradation of 11,901 km rural roads costing ₹2,597 crore
• Construction and completion of 19,876 km additional roads costing ₹7,606 crore
• Urban development will also see significant investment:
• ₹1,000 crore for Municipal Development Fund
• ₹500 crore for Punjab Municipal Services Improvement Project
• ₹665 crore for infrastructure in 149 urban local bodies

Sports Infrastructure Expansion

To promote sports culture in the state the Punjab Budget 2026 allocated ₹1,791 crore for sports infrastructure. Which is marking an 83 percent increase from last year.

Planned initiatives include,

• Construction of 6,000 new village playgrounds
• Development of 5,000 indoor gyms
• Adventure sports camps in sub-mountainous areas under PPP mode

Question

Q. Under the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, how much monthly financial assistance will women receive?

A. ₹500
B. ₹750
C. ₹1,000
D. ₹1,200