Reaffirming its commitment to ensuring dignity and financial security for needy and economically weaker families, the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has released ₹28.01 crore under the Ashirwad Scheme during the financial year 2026-27 for the benefit of 5,492 Scheduled Caste beneficiaries across the state.
Sharing this information, Punjab's Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Dr. Baljit Kaur, said that the financial assistance has been sanctioned for eligible beneficiaries across 19 districts to enable economically weaker families to solemnize their daughters' marriages with dignity and confidence.
The Cabinet Minister informed that, based on applications received through the Ashirwad Portal, beneficiaries from Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Patiala, Pathankot, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, SBS Nagar, Sangrur and Malerkotla have been covered under this latest financial assistance.
Sharing district-wise details, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the released funds will benefit 882 beneficiaries in Fazilka, 611 in Patiala, 604 in Ferozepur, 403 in Ludhiana, 400 in Moga, 384 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, 333 in Hoshiarpur, 297 in Gurdaspur, 288 in Barnala and 219 in SBS Nagar.
Similarly, she said that 163 beneficiaries in Bathinda, 160 each in Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur, 114 each in SAS Nagar and Jalandhar, 104 in Rupnagar, 103 in Faridkot, 95 in Malerkotla and 58 in Pathankot have also been provided financial assistance under the scheme.
Highlighting the key features of the scheme, the Cabinet Minister said that eligible families are provided financial assistance of ₹51,000 for the marriage of their daughters. She clarified that the applicant must be a permanent resident of Punjab, belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family, and have a total annual family income from all sources of less than ₹32,790. A maximum of two daughters from a family are eligible to avail the benefit under the scheme.
Dr. Baljit Kaur further stated that, to ensure complete transparency and timely disbursement, the financial assistance is transferred directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. She reiterated that the Bhagwant Singh Mann Government remains firmly committed to improving the living standards of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and economically weaker sections through transparent and people-centric welfare initiatives, thereby further strengthening social justice across Punjab.