The AAP government in Punjab will fulfill its promise of giving Rs 1,000 per month to women above 18 years of age in the coming financial year. The state finance department has already started work to implement the scheme.
The ruling party in the state had promised Rs 1,000 per month to all women in the run-up to last year’s assembly elections. In view of the “precarious fiscal health” of the state government, the roll-out of the scheme was delayed. But the ruling party is now in a hurry to implement the plan in view of the general elections due next year.
“The scheme will not be part of the budget proposals to be announced in early March. The government will announce it later,” confirmed state finance minister Harpal Cheema.
Sources in the state government said the government was looking at implementing the scheme for women in a phased manner after stopping GST compensation last year, with revenues dwindling. Sources said the scheme will be launched in a small group of districts first.
Also, it is unlikely that all women will be included in the scheme. A criteria will be fixed for the eligible women beneficiaries in the scheme.
Interestingly, there are 1.02 crore women above the age of 18 years in the state. If all women are included, the monthly expenditure to provide income support to all women would be more than Rs 1,000 crore,” said a senior government official. “We are discussing supporting only those vulnerable women , who need it,” he said.
“So far, we have been able to meet the requirement of payment of power subsidy. Only the unpaid subsidy of the previous government is pending for release. But the AAP government is determined to fulfill the promises and guarantees made to the people and Methods of implementation are being discussed.
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