DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Punjab Government has released an amount of Rs. 20 crore under the Ashirwad Scheme for the beneficiary families belonging to Scheduled Castes. This was disclosed by Dr. Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities.

Sharing further information, Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that during the current financial year 2024-25, an amount of Rs. 20 crore has been released after processing 3,922 applications received from 12 districts under the Ashirwad Scheme. She added that under this scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 51,000 is provided for the marriage of girls belonging to economically weaker families.

The Cabinet Minister elaborated that the amount has been disbursed to beneficiaries from 12 districts, including 1,476 beneficiaries from Amritsar, 56 from Barnala, 111 from Faridkot, 389 from Ferozepur, 84 from Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, 188 from Fazilka, 216 from Kapurthala, 767 from Ludhiana, 96 from Mansa, 152 from Sri Muktsar Sahib, 89 from Rupnagar and 298 from SBS Nagar.

Dr. Baljit Kaur further said that to avail benefits under the Ashirwad Scheme, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Punjab, belong to Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes or other Economically Weaker Sections, and the annual income of the family should not exceed Rs. 32,790. She added that financial assistance can be availed for the marriage of up to two daughters in one family.

She emphasized that the financial assistance is transferred directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to ensure complete transparency and timely disbursal.

Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is fully committed to the welfare and upliftment of economically weaker sections, Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, and is making continuous efforts to make them self-reliant and economically empowered.

(editor@dailyworld.in)