Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday launched the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s flagship “Mukh Mantri Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna” in his Assembly constituency of Dhuri in Sangrur district, amid a large gathering comprising mainly women.Launching the scheme through a dedicated web portal, Mann announced the direct transfer of three months’ Satkar Raashi into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries, with every woman receiving Rs 3,000 and women from the Scheduled Caste category receiving Rs 4,500.Senior AAP leaders, including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Punjab AAP in-charge Aman Arora, Dr Baljeet Kaur and CM Mann’s wife Gurpreet Kaur, were present at the launch event.Mann claimed, “Our government has launched this scheme with meticulous planning to ensure that it continues uninterrupted in the years ahead. This financial assistance will provide significant support to economically weaker families while also serving as a mark of respect for our mothers and daughters.”Sharing details of the scheme, Mann said women beneficiaries above the age of 18 years would receive financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month, while Scheduled Caste women would receive Rs 1,500 per month. “The funds will be directly transferred into bank accounts and women who are already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible under the scheme. Around 97 per cent of women in Punjab are expected to benefit and the state government has earmarked Rs 9,300 crore in the Budget for this purpose,” he said.Sisodia said the Punjab Government had fulfilled all the major guarantees made to the people of the state. “This financial assistance is much more than a direct cash benefit. It is a profound transfer of trust to the women of Punjab. Today is a red-letter day not only for the women of Punjab but for women across the country, as it showcases a model of governance that truly values and uplifts its citizens. By seamlessly integrating structural reforms in health and education with direct welfare empowerment, the Punjab Government has silenced its critics and set a new benchmark for welfare politics in India,” Sisodia said.The event was held at a marriage palace a few kilometres from Dhuri. Elaborate seating arrangements were made both inside and outside the venue, where the launch was being displayed on a giant LED screen.As the payments began reaching the bank accounts of beneficiaries, the pandal started buzzing with activity. During the event, women started receiving SMS notifications on their mobile phones confirming that the payment had been credited to their bank accounts. Some women could not contain their joy and even began cheering, while those who did not receive the payment appeared anxious and dejected.Charanpreet Kaur from Dhuri displayed the message received on her mobile phone and said she was delighted to receive the financial assistance. “Like giving ‘shagun’ to grandchildren visiting the house, I often had to ask my husband and son for money. Now I will have funds of my own and can spend them as I wish,” she said.Puja Singhal, a student from Dhuri, said the money would help meet additional educational expenses.Not all women visiting the venue had come to receive the benefit. Sarabjit Kaur, who was accompanying another elderly woman, Manjeet, from Ladda village in Sangrur, said they had come to request the Chief Minister to construct a roundabout and speed-breakers on the highway, as residents, especially the elderly, were facing great difficulty in crossing the road. Before attending the function, CM Mann and his wife participated in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and completed the enrolment process at their residence in Sangrur.