Punjab govt releases ₹22.66 crore under Ashirwad Scheme for 4,443 SC beneficiaries, providing ₹51,000 per eligible girl via direct bank transfers.

Dr. Baljit Kaur, the minister of social justice, empowerment, and minorities for Punjab, declared that the Punjab government has released ₹22.66 crore under the Ashirwad Scheme in the current fiscal year 2025–2026 to give financial aid to 4,443 Scheduled Caste beneficiaries throughout the state.

The Minister provided more information, stating that 15 districts—Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Mansa, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Patiala, Pathankot, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Sangrur, and Malerkotla—submitted qualified applications through the Ashirwad Portal.” A sum of ₹22.66 crore has been approved and released to cover these accepted applications.

1,297 beneficiaries in Amritsar, 18 in Barnala, 138 in Bathinda, 748 in Ferozepur, 394 in Gurdaspur, 105 in Hoshiarpur, 470 in Jalandhar, 309 in Mansa, 239 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, 52 in Patiala, 347 in Pathankot, 38 in Rupnagar, 17 in SAS Nagar, 122 in Sangrur, and 149 in Malerkotla have received aid, according to Dr. Baljit Kaur.

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“The Punjab government offers ₹51,000 for the marriage of girls from low-income families under the Ashirwad Scheme,” the Minister added. Applicants must meet the Below Poverty Line (BPL) requirements, be permanent residents of Punjab, and be members of the Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, or Economically Weaker Sections in order to be eligible. Under this program, a family may receive benefits for up to two qualified daughters.

Dr. Baljit Kaur explained that in order to guarantee openness and prompt distribution, the aid amount is sent straight to the recipients’ bank accounts via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) method.

She reiterated the administration’s dedication, saying that the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is constantly striving to improve the lives of the weaker and more marginalized segments of society and guarantee everyone’s equality, dignity, and economic potential.