The State Government has doubled the 'encouragement money' given to couples who enter inter-caste marriage. This was informed in a State-level vigilance and monitoring committee meeting held at Mantralaya on Friday.
According to the decision, from now onward any eligible persons of higher castes entering wedlock with a person belonged to Scheduled Castes will be entitled to get Rs 50,000 in place of Rs 25,000 given earlier as 'encouragement money'.
Notably, encouraging inter-caste marriage to stamp out social evil of untouchability, the State Government has been running this scheme since its inception. Earlier Rs 6,000 cash, a citation and to and fro fares were given to the couple for inter caste marriage before the year 2009. However, in 2009 the State Government had hiked the amount to Rs 25,000 with a view to encourage more individuals and to increase awareness about this persisting social evil.
Officials said on the directives of Chief Minister Raman Singh this amount was again increased from June 2011 to its double. Now, any person (boy or girl) belonged higher caste tying nuptial knot with a boy or a girl of the Scheduled Castes will be entitled to get Rs 50,000 as encouragement money.
According to departmental sources, during 2011, at least1261 couples entering inter caste wedlock were given Rs 19.71 lakh as encouragement money by the Government.
In the meeting it was also informed that under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Prevention Act 1989, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development department has provided relief amount to the tune of Rs 1.22 crore to 756 applicants during 2009, Rs 1.44 crore assistance to 847 applicants during 2010 and Rs 1.20 crore relief to 572 applicants during 2011.
Besides, circular has already been issued on March 29, 2012 to all the district collectors to ensure payment of travelling allowance, compensation against loss of wage and expenses incurred on food to the victim persons and their dependents or witnesses through special police station or cells established for the purpose.
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