India, March 8 -- With about a year left for elections in the state, Punjab's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Saturday announced a scheme to fulfil its promise of monthly cash transfer to women. Under this initiative, the Bhagwant Mann-led government will transfer Rs.1,000 per month to all adult women; for those from Scheduled Caste community, it's set at Rs.1,500.

In the budget for the next fiscal, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced the Rs.9,300-crore 'Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojana' (Chief Minister's Respect for Mother and Daughters Scheme).

The direct benefit transfer scheme is designed to be nearly universal, covering approximately 97% of all adult women in Punjab, the highest such coverage in India. "Every w...