Ludhiana has emerged as the district with the highest number of registered beneficiaries under the Punjab government's Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, with 7.4 lakh enrolments, according to official data released on Tuesday. Statewide, the scheme has covered 68.9 lakh beneficiaries as of July 14, 2026, with Patiala, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur also reporting high enrolment figures.
Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr Baljit Kaur said the higher registrations in these districts reflect a combination of larger populations, stronger administrative outreach and greater awareness of welfare schemes. She said the government machinery has been working collectively to ensure eligible families are enrolled under the programme.
Population and outreach
According to the government, Ludhiana recorded 7.4 lakh beneficiaries, followed by Patiala (5.3 lakh), Amritsar (4.9 lakh), Jalandhar (4.8 lakh), Gurdaspur (4.4 lakh) and Hoshiarpur (4.2 lakh). At the other end, Malerkotla registered the lowest number of beneficiaries at 1.3 lakh.
Officials said larger districts naturally have a bigger pool of eligible families because of their higher urban and rural populations and greater number of Assembly constituencies. Cities such as Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar also attract people from neighbouring districts for employment, education and other opportunities, resulting in larger resident populations.
The government said many households in these districts belong to rural and economically weaker sections, increasing eligibility under schemes meant to support families with girl children. Better access to birth registration, Aadhaar enrolment, bank accounts and other required documentation has also enabled more families to complete the registration process.
District-level implementation
The minister said district administrations have carried out awareness campaigns in coordination with local bodies and Anganwadi workers to encourage eligible families to apply. Officials have also focused on verification of applications and timely completion of registrations, contributing to higher enrolment numbers.
The government said districts with relatively smaller populations, such as Malerkotla, have naturally reported fewer beneficiaries because of a lower number of eligible households.
According to the district-wise data, Bathinda has 3.8 lakh beneficiaries, Sangrur 3.6 lakh, Fazilka 2.9 lakh, Sri Muktsar Sahib 2.7 lakh, Moga and Tarn Taran 2.6 lakh each, Ferozepur 2.5 lakh, Mansa 2.4 lakh, while Faridkot, Pathankot and Rupnagar have 1.8 lakh beneficiaries each. SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Kapurthala have 1.7 lakh beneficiaries each, Barnala and SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr) have 1.6 lakh each, Fatehgarh Sahib has 1.5 lakh, and Malerkotla has the lowest count at 1.3 lakh.
Dr Baljit Kaur said the enrolment figures indicate the reach of the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana across Punjab and reflect coordinated efforts by the state government and district administrations to expand access to welfare benefits for eligible families.
