Chandigarh, March 8 – Hours before presenting proposals for the AAP government’s fifth and final budget in the Assembly, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday extended greetings to mark International Women’s Day, and promised to make them self-reliant in every way.
“I salute every daughter and sister who, through their hard work and courage, is bringing glory to Punjab's name worldwide,” CM Mann wrote on X.
“Punjab’s progress is only possible by walking shoulder to shoulder with the women. We are committed to making you self-reliant in every way, and today, during the Budget session, we are also bringing a major piece of good news for mothers, sisters, and daughters.”
Joining the issue, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said, “Their (the women's) strength, resilience, and leadership inspire us every day. I feel proud to present my fifth Budget on this historic day, reaffirming our commitment to women’s empowerment and inclusive development.”
A day earlier, CM announced that the government would soon implement a scheme to provide Rs 1,000 per month to every woman. “Necessary provisions will be made in the upcoming budget, and every promise made to the people will be fulfilled,” he said at a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for a Rs 137 crore rural link road project in the border constituency of Khemkaran.
It is learnt that the AAP government is expected to announce a provision of Rs 1,000 per month in the Budget that would benefit nearly one crore women ahead of going to the Assembly polls in early 2027.
Giving a strong call to girls to step forward as equal partners in shaping the state’s future, CM Mann, in another function, asserted that the state cannot become a frontrunner without the full participation of women in governance, economy and politics.
On the occasion of a state-level International Women’s Day function at Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana on Saturday, the Chief Minister highlighted how the government is actively dismantling barriers that kept women away from key sectors.
He pointed out merit-based recruitment, where a majority of the over 63,000 government jobs have gone to girls, the opening of firefighting services to women after removing unrealistic conditions, and the growing presence of women officers in top administrative positions.
CM Mann also urged young women to enter politics and become active participants in decision-making, stressing that a stronger democracy and a more progressive Punjab will only be possible when women play a central role in shaping public policy and leadership.
