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PUNJAB BUDGET NEWS

Punjab Budget: Welfare measures earn plaudits but industry leaders sound alarm over 'debt trap', farmers allege neglect

March 08, 2026 5:48 pm

Critics of the Punjab Budget 2026-27 highlighted a growing fiscal deficit and a lack of attention to Ludhiana’s core manufacturing clusters.

Universal vs targeted: How Punjab’s new financial assistance for women challenges other states' models

March 08, 2026 5:01 pm

Moving away from income-capped welfare, Punjab’s Budget 2026-27 introduces a landmark cash transfer scheme for women. With an outlay of Rs 9,300 crore, the government will provide Rs 1,000 to general category women and RS 1,500 to SC women, ensuring coverage up to 97 per cent.

Punjab Budget 2026: AAP fulfills pre-poll guarantee with monthly cash for 97% women

March 09, 2026 3:18 am

With an outlay of Rs 9,300 crore in Punjab Budget 2026-27, the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satikar Yojana will provide Rs 1,500 to SC women and Rs 1,000 to others, excluding only a tiny fraction of high-income earners and officials.

Cabinet Minister Sanjiv Arora briefing media regarding Power prices slashed in Punjab. (Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)

Ahead of 2027 Assembly elections, Punjab slashes electricity prices

March 06, 2026 3:16 pm

The relief being extended to consumers will cost Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission Rs 7,851.91 crore, even as the state exchequer is already burdened with an annual power subsidy bill of Rs 22,200 crore.

Punjab Govt weighs Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for women, AAP’s unfulfilled poll promise

March 05, 2026 4:19 pm

The move comes as the AAP Government in Punjab approaches the fag end of its tenure and amid increasing pressure from Opposition parties, which have repeatedly questioned the delay in fulfilling the promise.

Eyeing 2027 Punjab polls, AAP govt Budget focuses on local infra, war on drugs; silent on women dole

March 27, 2025 8:35 pm

Reeling under Rs 4.17 lakh crore debt, the Bhagwant Mann govt is preparing to roll out Rs 1,000 women payout scheme closer to the next Assembly polls

Punjab budget education: Schools of Eminence get Rs 100 cr but only 14 of the planned 118 completed in 3 years

March 27, 2025 11:40 am

The AAP Govt has also allocated Rs 220 cr for PM SHRI schools, the Centre’s project that had led to political row.

CM Punjab Bhagwant Mann with finance minister Harpal Cheema before presenting Punjab Budget 2025 at Punjab Vidhan sabha in Chandigarh. (Express Photo by kamleshwar Singh)

Punjab Budget 2025 | Big health insurance promise, small budget: Will Punjab’s plan succeed?

March 27, 2025 10:51 am

The medical fraternity has welcomed the Punjab government's decision to extend the state health insurance scheme to cover all 65 lakh families in the state.

Punjab Budget 2025 | Industry hails push to MSMEs; pans reduced allocation

March 27, 2025 2:42 pm

The Punjab Budget for 2025-26 was presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema in the Assembly on Wednesday.

In Punjab Budget, Rs 10-lakh health cover for every family, drug census

March 27, 2025 4:17 am

The budget has pegged state's outstanding debt at Rs 4.17 lakh crore for the next fiscal as against revised estimates of Rs 3.82 lakh crore for 2024-25.