-I. Ahmed
Hyderabad (Telangana): The two welfare schemes launched by ruling TRS led state government to extend financial aid to the poor brides of SC, ST, BC, EBC and minorities of Telangana are achieving significant results.
The two schemes – Kalyana Laxmi, which is meant for SC, ST, BC, EBC of the state and Shadi Mubarak, which is meant for the Minorities of the state have reduced child marriages in the state. Under the two schemes, the state government is extending Rs. 1,00,016 to the brides belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) families of the state.
According to surveys conducted by different agencies like UNICEF, CESS, It is found that the total number of child marriages have come down in the state since the launch of the two schemes. The two schemes have been launched on October 2, 2014 by the state government led by Chief Minister of the state K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
The state government had initially given a financial aid of Rs.51,000 to the beneficiaries under the scheme. However, the amount has been enhanced to Rs.75,000 later. The state government has further increased the aid to Rs.1,00,016 to the beneficiaries after some days. As the financial aid being extended by the state government was very high and attractive, several BPL families applied under the scheme and availed the benefit. If we look at the official statistics, around four lakh people have benefited from the scheme during the last four and half year. Of this, 25 percent of the total beneficiaries belong to Muslim community.
The minimum eligibility condition prescribed under the scheme for the brides-to be is attainment of 18 years, which is legally marriageable age limit in the country. “Several beneficiaries of the scheme have told us that the schemes have turned out to be a blessing in disguise for them. They said that they are able to avail the much needed financial aid to perform the marriage of their daughters,” an official of the state government told this correspondent.
Speaking to this correspondent, one of the beneficiaries of the scheme Ghalib said that scheme has prevented him from taking loan to perform the marriage of his daughter. “We all know that a marriage of a daughter can not be performed by poor families unless they take loans. But, I did not face any problem to perform the marriage of my younger daughter as she got the financial aid under the Shadi Mubarak scheme,” he said. Ghalib works as a hawker.
The state government is issuing cheques in the name of the brides-to be under the scheme to avoid any kind of irregularities and corruption and ensure transparency.
