BENGALURU: The Directorate of Minorities will no longer accept applications seeking benefits under the ‘Bidaai scheme,’ popularly known as ‘Shaadi Bhagya’.
With the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government not earmarking any funds in the 2020-2021 budget for the scheme, introduced during Siddaramaiah’s tenure as CM in the 2013-2014 budget, the directorate has sent out reminders to its offices not to accept any more applications.
The hugely popular scheme is effectively being scrapped from the upcoming fiscal year, leaving the Congress seething. The opposition is now all set to raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly during the discussion on the budget.
“It isn’t just Shaadi Bhagya that is suffering. Funds for scholarships to minority students has been cut drastically. A sum of Rs 300 crore was set aside for scholarships in the previous budget, but this time, only Rs 100 has been allocated. The ‘Shaadi Mahal’ scheme for community halls has also been scrapped. Compared to the previous budget, the total outlay for minority welfare has been reduced by at least 45 per cent,” claimed Shivajinagar Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad.
In an official communication dated March 7, 2020, the Directorate of Minorities has written to District Commissioners and Minority Welfare offices in all districts to stop accepting fresh applications under ‘Bidaai scheme’.
“Since the Finance Department has not earmarked any funds for the year 2020-2021, it is instructed to stop accepting new applications of Bidaai scheme with immediate effect,” the “reminder,” said. Further, officials have been asked to collate information on all pending eligible applications awaiting approval and submit it to the directorate by March 9.
“Not just Shaadi Bhagya, this government has halted all development works. BJP’s own MLAs are crying foul over works being stalled in their constituencies,” former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy remarked.
Shaadi Bhagya was introduced by Siddaramaiah to provide financial assistance to minority women/divorcees and widows belonging to Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist and Parsi communities from BPL families for marriage.
The scheme assures Rs 50,000 to each eligible applicant to help with marriages expenses. As of 2018-2019, about a total of 26,322 applications were pending under Shaadi Bhagya.
About 64,817 beneficiaries had received benefits under the scheme since 2013 whereas 5,951 applications had been rejected.