Chandigarh, October 18 — Bringing major relief to thousands of economically weaker families, the Punjab government has released ₹29.33 crore under its ‘Aashirwad Scheme’ to support the marriages of 5,751 daughters belonging to Scheduled Caste, Backward Class, and other economically weaker sections.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the initiative reflects his government’s commitment to ensuring that every family can celebrate their daughter’s wedding with dignity. “Our goal is to make Punjab prosperous by empowering even the weakest sections to live with self-respect,” Mann said, terming the assistance a “true blessing” for deserving families.
Punjab’s Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said the amount has been directly transferred to beneficiaries’ accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. “The government has ensured full transparency. This step not only uplifts poor families but also restores their self-esteem,” she said.
According to Dr. Kaur, beneficiaries were identified from 17 districts, including Barnala, Bathinda, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Moga, Patiala, Rupnagar, and others. Among them, 1,087 beneficiaries are from Jalandhar, 839 from Ludhiana, and 885 from Moga.
Under the Aashirwad Scheme, financial assistance of ₹51,000 is provided for the marriage of daughters from eligible families with an annual income below ₹32,790. Each family can avail the benefit for a maximum of two daughters.
Dr. Kaur added that the government has revived long-pending applications and ensured that funds reach rightful recipients without any middlemen. “Earlier, these files would gather dust. Now, every rupee reaches directly to the mother’s account, bringing relief and tears of joy,” she noted.
Originally known as the ‘Shagun Scheme’, the initiative was renamed as ‘Aashirwad’ by the Mann government to signify a more heartfelt commitment. The government said the assistance represents not just financial support, but a promise of social justice and compassion.
“This amount helps a poor father marry off his daughter without debt or humiliation. It’s a message that every daughter, rich or poor, is equally precious,” said a senior official from the Social Justice Department.
By releasing ₹29.33 crore across 17 districts, the Bhagwant Mann government has reaffirmed that its welfare policies are aimed at bringing tangible change to people’s lives — turning official announcements into real blessings for thousands of families.
