JAIPUR: In a bid to promote social harmony and unity, the Rajasthan government has announced doubling the incentive for intercaste weddings to Rs 10 lakhs.
With immediate effect, the inter-caste couples tying the knot will now receive Rs 10 lakhs, up from the previous incentive of Rs 5 lakhs.
This was just announced by the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the 2023–24 Budget, and on Thursday, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment released a notification.
The amended Dr. Savita Ben Ambedkar Inter-caste Marriage Scheme provides for the deposit of Rs. 5 lakh in an eight-year fixed deposit and the deposit of the remaining Rs. 5 lakh in a joint bank account for the newlyweds.
The scheme which launched in 2006 initially provided with Rs 50,000 which was later increased to Rs 5.00 lakhs in April 2013.
The scheme is jointly funded by the federal and state governments, with the latter providing 75% of the funding and the centre providing the remaining 25%.
The government released Rs 33.55 crore under the programme in the previous fiscal year, and more than Rs 4.5 crore in the current fiscal year.
As per the norms of the scheme, either the boy or girl should belong to the Scheduled Caste. Anyone who is not over 35 years of age, not have been convicted in any criminal case. The combined income of the couple should not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh per annum. The benefit under the scheme will be payable if the application is received within a period of a year from the date of marriage (first marriage only).
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