Amid rising wedding costs, impoverished girls in J&K seek Govt Marriage Assistance

Srinagar, Feb 25: The trend of lavish weddings, coupled with unnecessary expenses, has made the sacred institution of marriage a costly affair, particularly for families from economically weaker sections of society in Kashmir.

As a result, in Jammu and Kashmir, a growing number of poor girls are now seeking financial assistance from the government to solemnise their marriages without putting an additional burden on their impoverished families.

The State Marriage Assistance Scheme for poor girls is a key initiative aimed at supporting economically disadvantaged families. Under this scheme, girls of marriageable age belonging to either Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or Priority Household (PHH) ration card-holder families are eligible to receive a one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000 before their marriage.

Official figures reveal that in the financial year 2022-23, as many as 16,000 poor girls were provided marriage assistance amounting to Rs 80 crore under various government schemes, including the State Marriage Assistance Scheme.

This marked a significant increase from previous years, as the J&K administration stepped up efforts to support economically disadvantaged families.

Under Marriage Assistance, a total of 62,326 poor girls were provided financial aid worth Rs 185 crore from 2015-16 to 2021-22.

However, the demand for such assistance has surged in recent times, with extravagant wedding celebrations and unnecessary expenses making the occasion a costly affair for many underprivileged families.

“The rising costs of weddings have become a major concern for us,” said Nazir Ahmad, a daily wage labourer from Srinagar. “Without the government's support, it would have been impossible for me to marry off my daughters with dignity.”

While the authorities have acknowledged the issue and stepped up efforts to provide financial aid, critics argue that more needs to be done to address the root cause – the societal pressure to host lavish weddings and the ostentation associated with such events.

As the debate continues, the plight of poor families highlights the need for a collective effort to promote simplicity and rationalise expenses, ensuring that the sacred bond of marriage remains accessible to all, regardless of their economic status.

A senior social welfare department official said, “To avail of the benefits under the State Marriage Assistance Scheme, the beneficiary girl must be an identified poor girl in the survey lists already available with the concerned District Development Commissioners (DDCs) or District Social Welfare Officers. She should be above 18 years of age and should not have availed similar benefits under any other State or Centrally Sponsored Scheme.”

The official said: “Additionally, a beneficiary can avail the benefit only once under this scheme. After determining the eligibility as per the laid down guidelines, the committee may sanction the one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to the beneficiary, subject to the availability of funds. The sanctioned amount is then credited directly to the savings bank account of the eligible beneficiary girl.”