Punjab Government links Ashirwad Scheme with Sewa Kendras, ensuring ₹51,000 financial aid for daughters of SC, minority, and EWS communities.

The Punjab Government, under CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, continues to take people-centric initiatives for the welfare of poor, backward, and marginalized communities. In a significant step to enhance transparency and efficiency, Dr. Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, announced reforms to make the Ashirwad Scheme more citizen-friendly.

Dr. Baljit Kaur officially launched the Ashirwad Online Portal in conjunction with Sewa Kendras on Wednesday at Punjab Bhawan. She stated that applications under the scheme will now be submitted only through Sewa Kendras, ensuring better accountability and smoother processing.

The Minister highlighted that the Mann Government is committed to ensuring that every rupee of welfare reaches the intended beneficiaries with honesty and transparency. By channeling applications through Sewa Kendras, the initiative aims to eliminate corruption, curb exploitation by middlemen, and prevent misuse, while strengthening public trust in government systems. This reflects the government’s focus on dignity of daughters, social security, and transparent governance.

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Dr. Baljit Kaur noted that the Ashirwad Scheme is a flagship welfare program of the Punjab Government, providing financial assistance of ₹51,000 at the time of marriage to daughters of Scheduled Castes, Christians, backward classes, economically weaker sections, as well as daughters of widows from all communities and widows/divorced women from Scheduled Castes.

Previously, beneficiaries had to submit applications and documents at Tehsil offices, leading to delays and technical challenges. Even after the scheme was digitized, complaints arose about private cyber cafes charging high fees and misusing the system.

To address these issues, the Punjab Government has now linked the Ashirwad Portal with Sewa Kendras, enabling beneficiaries to apply through their nearest center at minimal cost, without intermediaries, in a simple, transparent, and efficient manner.