Expectant of Ashirwad Scheme can interact with Seva Kedras and District Welfare Officers

“We will integrate the departmental portal with Sewa Kendras to ensure transparency of the scheme.”

“Punjab Government’s Commitment to Welfare Under CM Bhagwant Singh Mann”

Chandigarh, June 24: The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is steadfast in its commitment to the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker Sections. Today, Dr. Baljit Kaur, the Minister of Social Justice, Empowerment, and Minority Affairs, announced at a press conference in Chandigarh the approval of Rs. 34 crore for 6,786 beneficiaries under the state’s Ashirwad scheme.

Punjab Govt has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 27.32 crore.

Providing further details, Dr. Baljit Kaur mentioned that for the fiscal year 2023-24, an amount of Rs. 27.32 crore has been sanctioned for 5,357 beneficiaries from Scheduled Castes. Additionally, she stated that the state government has allocated Rs. 7.28 crore for 1,429 beneficiaries from Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections for the same period. The government will directly deposit this financial assistance into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

Aim of  Ashirwad scheme

The Minister explained that the Ashirwad scheme aims to provide financial aid for the marriage or remarriage of girls from Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker Sections in Punjab. Each family can apply for eligibility for up to two girls, and they must submit their applications either before or within 30 days of the marriage date. To ensure transparency, the Punjab Government launched the Ashirwad portal in April 2023 for online application submissions.

applicants must meet specific criteria

Dr. Baljit Kaur outlined the eligibility criteria: applicants must be permanent residents of Punjab, belong to Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, or Economically Weaker Sections, have an annual family income of less than Rs. 32,790, and fall below the poverty line. The scheme provides financial aid for up to two daughters per eligible family.

She also directed departmental officials to expedite pending cases for timely disbursement to beneficiaries. During the press conference, she confirmed that officials are implementing stringent measures to detect and penalize fraudulent beneficiaries under the Ashirwad scheme, in response to a journalist’s query.

PB Govt remains dedicated to the welfare of Scheduled Castes

She emphasized that the Punjab Government remains dedicated to ensuring all financial assistance is directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker Sections.