BENGALURU: The state government’s scheme to promote inter-caste marriage by offering monetary incentive to Scheduled Caste people seems to be a hit. The number of such marriages in the state has been on the rise.
The Department of Social Welfare data reveals that in just five years, the number of beneficiaries has increased three times ---from 1,785 beneficiaries in 2014-2015 to 5,273 in 2018-19. In the last five years (2014-15 to 2018-19), as many as 15,620 couples have availed the incentives. Interestingly, of them, 5,273 couples have tied the knot in 2018-19, as per the data available with The New Indian Express.
In order to encourage inter-caste marriages and bring a balance in social status, the State government had launched the scheme. Monetary incentive is given to a Scheduled Caste individual, who should be a resident of Karnataka and marries a Hindu non-SC person. The total income of the couple should not be more than Rs 5 lakh per annum. The couple gets Rs 2.5 lakh if the husband is from the SC community, and Rs 3 lakh if the wife belongs to SC.
The department is yet to compile the data for 2019-20. "We receive applications, but many do not meet the criteria. This scheme is available for the couples who apply within one year of their marriage and should be a Hindu. Many applications we receive are though inter-caste marriages with one of the spouses being an SC, they might not meet other criteria including furnishing the required documents," sources from the department said.
A senior official said that the number of beneficiaries is increasing every year. This scheme is funded by the State and Central governments on a 50-50 share basis. This year the State government plans to increase its share to Rs 50 crore and thus the total amount will be Rs 100 crore.
Kumar Naik, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, said that since more awareness has been created, more number of people are availing the scheme.