Chandigarh; The Punjab Government has released financial assistance worth Rs. 301.20 crore to beneficiary families belonging to Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes under the Ashirwad Scheme during the financial year 2024–25. This was disclosed by Dr. Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment, and Minorities.
Sharing further details, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that out of the total amount, Rs. 198.51 crore was disbursed to 38,922 beneficiaries from Scheduled Castes, while Rs. 102.69 crore was provided to 20,136 beneficiaries from Backward Classes.
Dr. Baljit Kaur informed that under the Ashirwad Scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 51,000 is provided for the marriage of girls, and the benefit can be availed for a maximum of two daughters. The amount is directly transferred to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), ensuring transparency and timely assistance.
She added that to avail the benefits of the scheme, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Punjab with an annual household income of less than Rs. 32,790. Moreover, the applicant should belong to a Scheduled Caste, Backward Class, or Economically Weaker Section.
In conclusion, she said that such schemes run by the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government are not just limited to financial assistance, but are major steps toward realizing the vision of a ‘Rangla Punjab’.