Punjab Govt releases Rs 31.78 crore for SCs under Ashirwad scheme
Babushahi Bureau
Tarn Taran (Punjab), January 18, 2026: The Punjab Government has released ₹31.78 crore for 6,231 Scheduled Caste beneficiaries during the current financial year 2025–26 under the Ashirwad Scheme, providing crucial financial support to economically weaker families across the state.
Sharing the details, Tarn Taran MLA Harmeet Singh Sandhu said the state government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to strengthening every section of society economically. He described the Ashirwad Scheme as a key initiative aimed at reducing the financial burden on poor families at the time of their daughters’ marriages.
Sandhu informed that applications were received from 12 districts—Tarn Taran, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Patiala, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Sangrur—through the Ashirwad portal, following which the funds were released.
Under the scheme, 207 beneficiaries from Tarn Taran, 155 from Faridkot, 242 from Ferozepur, 124 from Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, 1,647 from Fazilka, 226 from Gurdaspur, 70 from Jalandhar, 615 from Kapurthala, 2,498 from Ludhiana, 178 from Patiala, 152 from SBS Nagar and 117 from Sangrur received financial assistance.
The MLA said the Ashirwad Scheme provides ₹51,000 as financial assistance for marriage to girls from low-income families. To be eligible, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Punjab, belong to a below-poverty-line family, and have an annual family income of less than ₹32,790 from all sources. Up to two daughters per family are eligible for the benefit.
Sandhu added that the assistance is transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through DBT, ensuring transparency and timely delivery. He reaffirmed that the Mann government is making concerted efforts to ensure that no eligible family is deprived of welfare benefits and that the living standards of Scheduled Castes and economically weaker sections are improved by bringing them into the mainstream.