Chandigarh, July 24: Centenarian women across Punjab are experiencing a renewed sense of independence and respect through the state government’s Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana. The initiative provides direct financial assistance to elderly women, delivering critical support that supplements existing old-age and widow pensions to help recipients manage health expenses and personal needs.
“No government has ever done anything like this before,” stated Bharbhur Kaur, a 109-year-old beneficiary from Sangrur. She explained that the funds allow her to maintain her autonomy while supporting her family. “I will spend part of this money on my daughters, who are also in their 50s, and use the remaining amount to buy a hearing aid for myself.”
The scheme has seen active participation from elderly residents who completed registration formalities at local Anganwadi centres with the assistance of family members and neighbors. For many recipients, the financial grant represents both practical aid and formal recognition of their lifelong contributions to their families.
“I have never seen any government before that has given such dignity to the women of the state,” declared 110-year-old Mukhtiar Kaur of Kotkapura, who utilized her grant toward essential household requirements.
The financial relief serves various critical needs, including mobility aids, medical treatments, and personal care. In Moga, family members of 102-year-old Pritam Kaur utilized the three thousand rupees assistance to purchase a wheelchair and necessary medications, significantly improving her daily mobility and comfort.
“At this age, money becomes your companion; you need it for everything,” asserted 102-year-old Jasmel Kaur of Faridkot. Expressing gratitude for the administration’s focus on senior welfare, she noted that she used a portion of the funds for her medical needs and assisted her daughter with healthcare costs for her son-in-law.
Other beneficiaries maintained that the freedom to allocate the funds as they choose remains the most valuable aspect of the initiative.
“I will keep this money with me and spend it wherever I wish,” affirmed 102-year-old Angrej Kaur, who used her grant to purchase medicine, attire, and gifts for her granddaughter.
