Punjab spent Rs 2,042 crore on free bus travel for women: Minister

Chandigarh: Punjab govt spent Rs 2,042 crore under the free bus travel facility for women, enabling them to access education, employment and healthcare without financial barriers, said Punjab minister for social justice, empowerment and minorities Dr Baljit Kaur here on Tuesday.Addressing a press conference, she said five working women's hostels — three in Mohali and two each in Jalandhar and Amritsar — were being constructed for Rs 150 crore and will be completed within a year, with crèche facilities to support working mothers.She also listed other welfare initiatives of the AAP govt. She claimed that under the Ashirwad Scheme, Rs 51,000 marriage assistance was provided irrespective of caste, with Rs 1,023 crore released so far, while Rs 100 crore was released under the Adarsh Gram Yojana for development in scheduled caste-dominated villages. She added Rs 6 crore dues under the inter-caste marriage incentive scheme were cleared.She also stated, "At present, 23.6 lakh needy senior citizens are receiving a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 through direct benefit transfer in the first week of every month."Referring to the "Sada Buzurg Sada Maan" campaign, she added that district-level camps launched in 2024 strengthened the physical and mental health of senior citizens, with over 20,000 elderly persons participating in 2024 and more than 20,000 this year, availing healthcare support, legal aid and assistive devices.