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.
The Punjab Government is likely to announce a Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for women, a key pre-poll promise of the ruling AAP that has not been fulfilled for nearly four years, in the state budget to be presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Sunday.
While the AAP had promised monthly Rs 1,000 to every woman above the age of 18, officials said the Government was examining various eligibility options, including whether the scheme should cover all adult women or be targeted towards certain income groups. The potential financial burden of the programme is also being assessed.
Punjab has roughly one crore women voters, and providing Rs 1,000 per month to each beneficiary could involve an expenditure running into Rs 12,000 crore annually. Sources said the finance department had been evaluating the fiscal implications while working on the budget.
The move comes as the Government approaches the fag end of its tenure and amid increasing pressure from Opposition parties, which have repeatedly questioned the delay in implementing the promise.
Senior government functionaries, however, maintain that the administration has been focusing on stabilising the state’s finances and rolling out other welfare and development initiatives during the past few years.
“The scheme would join a series of welfare programmes introduced by the Government since it came to power,” said an AAP leader.
One of the first major steps announced in the Government’s initial budget was 300 units of free electricity every month for domestic consumers. The scheme was implemented in July 2022. TheGovernment has also continued the free power subsidy for agricultural tubewells, a policy aimed at supporting farmers. The scheme has jacked up the state’s subsidy bill to over Rs 22,000 crore annually.
Another flagship initiative has been the rollout of Aam Aadmi Clinics, neighbourhood health centres providing free consultations, medicines, and diagnostic tests. As many as 881 clinics have been opened across the state, particularly in rural areas and urban localities where access to primary healthcare facilities was limited. These dispense 80 types of medicines and conduct 38 diagnostic tests.
Mukh Mantri Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana
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In the 2025-26 budget, the Government had announced a plan to bring all 65 lakh families of Punjab under the ambit of a state health insurance scheme. Earlier, only 45 lakh families in the state were enrolled in government health insurance schemes, of which 16 lakh families were covered under the Punjab Government’s Mukh Mantri Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana. The families get an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh under the scheme. The Government has now not only extended the scheme to all families but also raised the insurance cover to Rs 10 lakh. It has allocated Rs 778 crore for the scheme, rolled out two months ago.
The budget also had a provision to repair and build link roads, and 18,944 km of link roads are being constructed/upgraded at a cost of Rs 2,873 crore. The provision was rather delayed as the Government was not able to repair rural roads in its last three years due to a lack of funds.
The Government had also announced plans to expand medical education and health infrastructure, including the establishment of new medical colleges in different districts. In the education sector, the administration introduced programmes aimed at transforming government schools. Initiatives such as Schools of Happiness and Schools of Brilliance were launched to improve infrastructure, enhance learning outcomes and encourage innovative teaching methods.
Allocations have also been made for crop diversification, horticulture development, and agricultural mechanisation. The Government has also attempted to address the problem of stubble burning through subsidies for crop residue management machinery and other measures.
Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India.
Professional Background
Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state.
Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions.
Special Projects:
Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship.
Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government:
1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs
"Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA.
"Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor.
"Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas.
2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls
"Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections.
"AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections.
"Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership.
3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy
"Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government.
"Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP.
4. Welfare & Economy
"Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program.
"Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025).
Signature Beat
Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens.
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