Chandigarh, May 20 -- With registrations gathering pace after a slow start, the Punjab government is planning to expand the enrolment process under its flagship women-centric cash transfer scheme - Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana - across all assembly constituencies in the state by the month-end. The registration of women beneficiaries, initially launched on a pilot basis in nine areas on April 14, is currently underway in 29 of Punjab's 117 assembly constituencies. According to officials monitoring the scheme, more than 8.5 lakh women have registered so far in 29 assembly constituencies. These include Sunam, Patiala Rural, Anandpur Sahib, Batala, Dirba, Kotkapura, Lehra, Malout, Moga, and Budhlada, where more than 40,000 women each have registered. Registration will commence in 11 constituencies on Thursday and in nine more next week, taking the total number of segments covered to 49. They said the department of social security and women and child development, the nodal agency for implementing the scheme, is now planning to start the registration process in the remaining 68 assembly constituencies, also in the next two weeks, in all likelihood. Registrations will be carried out at 27,000 anganwadi centres and 300 sewa kendras across the state. The scheme, announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in its 2026-27 budget on March 8, coinciding with International Women's Day, promises monthly financial assistance of Rs.1,000 to women above 18 years of age from the general category and Rs.1,500 to women belonging to the Scheduled Castes. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann, while launching the registration process in Jalandhar on April 14, announced that beneficiaries would start getting the monthly allowance from July 1, stating that there was no deadline for resignation and that beneficiaries would receive arrears even if they enrolled later. Women make up 1.01 crore, or around 47%, of the 2.14 crore electors in Punjab. The cash dole carries significant political importance for the ruling party, and the state government has earmarked Rs.9,300 for this scheme for the current fiscal year despite fiscal constraints. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had, in the run-up to the 2022 assembly polls, promised Rs.1,000 per month to every adult woman in Punjab if the party was voted to power. To facilitate registrations at the grassroots, the department has engaged thousands of local women volunteers as 'Mahila Satkar Sakhis' to assist beneficiaries. "There is one Satkar Sakhi for every 100 women beneficiaries in villages and urban areas. They are helping applicants complete their documentation, including Aadhaar linkage, update bank account details, voter ID cards, and caste certificates (in case of SC beneficiaries)," one of the officials quoted above said, requesting anonymity. Satkar Sakhis will be paid Rs.300 per registration - Rs.100 at the time of registration and the balance Rs.200 at the end of the current financial year, according to the department. Registrations are being done by anganwadi workers at their centres, who will be paid Rs.25 per registration. "The verification of documents submitted by beneficiaries is also being carried out simultaneously by supervisors and CDPOs," the official said, expressing satisfaction with the pace of enrolment. According to a notification issued by the state government last month, all women aged 18 and above who are registered voters and possess valid Aadhaar and Punjab voter ID will be eligible for financial assistance, with certain exceptions. Regular (permanent) or retired employees of the Punjab government or the central government or any other state/UT government in the country; regular or retired employees of PSUs, boards, corporations, commissions, cooperative institutions or tribunals who are eligible for or drawing pension; individuals who paid income tax of Rs.1 or more in the last financial year; and serving or former ministers, MPs, and MLAs have been excluded from the scheme. Additionally, the spouse of a serving minister, MP or MLA will also not be eligible for the monthly financial assistance. However, there is no restriction on the number of eligible women in a family. The existing social security pensioners are also entitled to avail the benefit in addition to the pension already being paid to them. The documents needed to avail the scheme include an Aadhaar card reflecting Punjab residency, a voter ID card of Punjab, a bank account passbook, and a caste certificate, wherever applicable. However, the rollout has faced several challenges, particularly those related to the documentation of eligible beneficiaries due to a mismatch of names and other details of various documents, dormant bank accounts, and the non-availability of caste certificates. At several places, queues have been seen at government offices and Sewa Kendras to obtain caste certificates....