Mann Government’s ‘Mahila Udyami Samman Program’ a Unique Initiative for Women Empowerment

Chandigarh, March 6, 2026: Bhagwant Mann Government’s ‘Mahila Udyami Samman Program’, launched to celebrate the spirit of women entrepreneurship on the occasion of International Women’s Day, is witnessing remarkable enthusiasm from women across the state. The initiative reflects the commitment of the AAP government to promote women’s empowerment and support women who are creating their own identity through entrepreneurship.
The first phase of the program was organized in all 117 Assembly constituencies of Punjab from March 2 to March 6, where women working in different forms of business and self-employment were honoured for their achievements and contributions. Each constituency honoured 100 women entrepreneurs, from villages or urban areas, received recognition for their efforts toward self-reliance.
The initiative has received an overwhelming response, with more than 28,000 nominations submitted through the Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission (PSRLM) portal. The large number of nominations highlights the growing participation of women in entrepreneurship and their determination to become financially independent.
So far, award ceremonies have already been successfully conducted at the constituency level, where women entrepreneurs were felicitated in the presence of local representatives and community members. District and state level ceremonies are next, celebrating the achievements of women who have established themselves in fields such as small businesses, home-based enterprises, agriculture-related ventures, and various service sectors.
The recognition process under the program is being carried out in multiple stages. At the constituency level, around 11,700 women entrepreneurs are honoured. From these, 2,300 women will be selected to receive recognition at the district level across 23 districts, where 100 women from each district will be honoured for their outstanding contributions.
The final stage of the program will take place at the state-level ceremony on March 18, where the top 100 women entrepreneurs from across Punjab will be honoured by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Each of these selected women will receive a cash award of ₹25,000 in recognition of their entrepreneurial achievements.
The Punjab Government is celebrating International Women’s Day not merely as a single-day event on March 8 but as a month-long celebration dedicated to women’s empowerment. Through initiatives like the Mahila Udyami Samman Program, the government aims to encourage more women to step into entrepreneurship and become leaders of economic change within their communities.
The initiative is being widely appreciated as a meaningful step toward recognizing women’s contribution to the state’s economy and inspiring thousands of others to pursue self-reliance and innovation.