Punjab Dhee Rani Program
The Dhee Rani Program is a Punjab government welfare scheme that helps poor families cover wedding costs through free collective marriages and a cash gift for the bride. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s administration set a target of 5,000 such weddings for 2025-26, building on 3,000 completed the year before.
If you’re a parent staring down wedding expenses you simply can’t afford, this program was built with you in mind. It’s not a loan, and there’s nothing to pay back it’s a direct grant, paired with a government-organized ceremony that covers the venue and hospitality too.
What Is the Dhee Rani Program?
Marriage carries real financial and religious weight in Punjabi households, and for many low-income families, that’s exactly the problem. Wedding costs the venue, food for guests, clothing, household items can run well beyond what a struggling family can save. The Dhee Rani Program was designed to close that gap.
Run by the Punjab Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Department, the scheme organizes mass wedding ceremonies across the province and hands each bride a cash gift on the spot. Officials describe it as a way to let deserving families fulfill a social and religious obligation without going into debt or delaying a daughter’s marriage indefinitely. The department covers venue, catering, and logistics, so families aren’t left footing a bill on ceremony day.
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Why the Government Launched It
Economic pressure in Pakistan has made ordinary weddings increasingly out of reach for lower-income households. Dowry expectations, venue rental, and catering add up fast, and families without savings often end up borrowing at high cost or postponing marriages for years.
The program responds to that gap directly, rather than through indirect subsidies. Instead of cash transfers with no strings, it pairs financial support with an actual organized event so the family gets both the money and a dignified ceremony, without needing to arrange either one themselves.
Dhee Rani Program Eligibility Criteria
Not every applicant qualifies, and the criteria are fairly specific. Punjab’s official eligibility rules focus on need: destitution, disability, or loss of parents, combined with an age window that rules out both very young and older applicants.
Here’s what determines whether a bride can be considered.
Who Can Apply?
- The bride must be destitute, orphaned, a person with disabilities (PWD), or the daughter of a PWD
- Age must fall between 18 and 40 years
- The applicant must hold a Punjab domicile
- The application can be submitted by the bride herself, her father, mother, or a legal guardian
- An affidavit confirming the bride is currently unmarried, and willing to take part in the collective ceremony, is required
- If applications exceed the number of available slots in a given phase, selection is made through electronic balloting rather than a first-come, first-served system
One detail worth flagging: officials from Punjab’s Social Welfare Department have said the program welcomes families from all religious communities, including Muslim, Hindu, and Christian households, not just one group. A February 2026 collective ceremony in Lahore, for instance, paired 180 brides together, and 38 of those couples came from minority communities.
Documents You’ll Likely Need
Since selection runs through a formal verification process, applicants should have their paperwork ready before applying rather than scrambling afterward. Based on official program requirements, this generally includes:
- CNIC or B-Form of the bride (and groom, where applicable)
- Proof of Punjab domicile
- A signed affidavit on judicial stamp paper declaring unmarried status
- Disability certificate, if applying under the PWD category
Requirements can shift slightly between phases, so it’s worth double-checking the exact document list on the official portal before you submit anything don’t rely on a checklist from a random blog post.
Dhee Rani Program Benefits: What Brides Actually Receive
So what does a selected family actually walk away with? Two things, mainly: a cash grant, and a fully organized wedding that costs the family nothing.
According to Punjab’s official flagship projects page, each bride receives Rs. 200,000 in “salami” a traditional wedding cash gift loaded onto an ATM card. The Social Welfare Department separately covers all wedding-related expenses for the collective ceremony itself, including venue and hospitality for guests. That combination matters: a cash gift alone doesn’t solve the logistics problem of actually hosting a wedding, and a free venue alone doesn’t help a family afford anything beyond the ceremony day.
Table 1: Dhee Rani Program Targets by Fiscal Year
| Fiscal Year | Marriage Target | Status (as of Feb 2026) | Cash Gift per Bride |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 3,000 | Completed | Rs. 200,000 (ATM card) |
| 2025–26 | 5,000 | Achieved — completed via two phases | Rs. 200,000 (ATM card) |
Note: some independent (non-official) websites mention an additional household “jahez” package worth roughly Rs. 100,000–206,000 on top of the cash gift, tied to earlier phases of the program. That figure could not be confirmed on Punjab’s current official portal, so treat it with caution and confirm directly with the Social Welfare Department or the 1312 helpline before assuming it applies to your application.
How to Apply for the Dhee Rani Program
Registration runs mainly through Punjab’s official digital portal, with a phone-based fallback for anyone who can’t apply online.
Applying Online
The main channel is cmp.punjab.gov.pk, where applicants create an account, fill in the bride’s details, and upload the required documents. After submission, the application typically goes through a verification step before it’s added to the pool for that phase’s electronic balloting, assuming the phase is oversubscribed. Selected applicants are usually notified with details of the ceremony date and location.
Honestly, if you’ve dealt with government paperwork in Pakistan before, you’ll notice this is a lot smoother than the old walk-in-office model no standing in line for hours just to submit a form.
Applying Offline
Not everyone has reliable internet access, and the program accounts for that. Families can also apply in person at their district Social Welfare Office, or get guidance by calling the helpline at 1312. This route is particularly useful in rural areas where digital literacy or connectivity can be a barrier.
Dhee Rani Program 2025–26: What’s Happened So Far
Numbers tell the story better than promises do here. The 2025-26 target of 5,000 collective marriages was carried out in phases rather than one single event, spread across dozens of districts.
Officials reported that 1,960 marriages were completed in the program’s first phase. A second phase, covering 3,040 additional marriages, ran between February 3 and February 16, 2026 bringing the total close to, and ultimately meeting, the 5,000 target for the year.
Table 2: Sample District-Wise Marriage Distribution (Phase 2, Feb 2026)
| District | Marriages Held |
|---|---|
| Layyah | 370 |
| Mianwali | 250 |
| Muzaffargarh | 200 |
| Khushab | 200 |
| Sargodha | 200 |
| Lahore | 170 |
| Faisalabad | 150 |
| Hafizabad | 130 |
| Mandi Bahauddin | 130 |
| Narowal | 100 |
| Sialkot | 100 |
| Toba Tek Singh | 70 |
Additional ceremonies also took place in Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Rajanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan, among other districts, though exact counts for those weren’t specified in official reporting.
One ceremony in Lahore, held on February 11, 2026, brought together 180 brides in a single event, with 38 of those unions involving minority-community couples. Provincial Minister for Social Welfare Sohail Shaukat Butt attended as chief guest, alongside senior department officials. Each bride at that event received her ATM card, complete bridal attire, and a hosted reception for her guests all funded by the province.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dhee Rani Program in Punjab? It’s a Punjab government welfare scheme that organizes free collective weddings for poor, orphaned, or disabled brides. Each selected bride receives Rs. 200,000 through an ATM card, and the Social Welfare Department covers the wedding ceremony costs directly.
Who is eligible for the Dhee Rani Program? Destitute, orphaned, or disabled girls (or daughters of a PWD) aged 18 to 40 with Punjab domicile can apply. The application can come from the bride herself, her parents, or a legal guardian, along with a signed affidavit confirming unmarried status.
How much cash does a bride get under the Dhee Rani Program? According to Punjab’s official program page, each bride receives Rs. 200,000 in salami through an ATM card. Additional household-item packages mentioned on some unofficial websites haven’t been confirmed on the current official portal.
How can I apply for the Dhee Rani Program online? You can register at cmp.punjab.gov.pk by creating an account and submitting the bride’s CNIC, domicile proof, and affidavit. Those without internet access can apply through their district Social Welfare Office or by calling the 1312 helpline.
Has the Dhee Rani Program 2025–26 target of 5,000 marriages been completed? Yes. Punjab’s Social Welfare Department reported that the 5,000-marriage target for 2025-26 was met through two phases, with the second phase of 3,040 weddings running from February 3 to 16, 2026 across multiple districts.
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Final Word
For families who’ve been putting off a daughter’s wedding because the numbers just don’t add up, the Dhee Rani Program offers something rare in welfare policy: a direct, no-repayment path forward. Punjab met its 5,000-marriage goal for 2025-26 through phased ceremonies across the province, and the Rs. 200,000 salami card remains the core benefit for every selected bride.
If you think your family might qualify, don’t wait for word of mouth check cmp.punjab.gov.pk directly or call 1312, since phase timelines and document requirements can change between cycles.