Marriage assistance scheme: Govt mulling to scrap qualification bar: Sakeena Itoo

Srinagar, Jun 24: The Jammu and Kashmir government  is mulling to scrap the qualification bar in marriage assistance scheme for which a proposal is already under consideration.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Minister for Social Welfare Department Sakina Itoo said that there was no purpose of having an educational bar in the marriage assistance scheme. The statement comes amid the concerns raised by people over eligibility criterion of requiring applicants to have passed at least 8th grade to avail benefits marriage assistance scheme.

"The government will soon review the order that made passing the 8th standard a prerequisite for receiving marriage aid and for that a proposal is under the consideration of the department and the same will be sent to cabinet," Sakina Itoo told Greater Kashmir.

She said that qualification requirement added two years ago has raised concerns among the people which are genuine. "We think there is no purpose of having an educational bar in the marriage assistance scheme which aims to help underprivileged girls," she said.

The minister recalled that the scheme, initially offering Rs 50,000 in aid, was later increased to Rs 75,000 when Omar Abdullah became Chief Minister, a move aimed at easing the financial burden on economically weaker sections.

“We know what struggles poor families go through during marriage season. We want to stand by them, not set obstacles,” the minister added.

Earlier, said that the government was actively working to make the Marriage Assistance Scheme more accessible by removing the qualification bar currently in place. Talking to media persons in Srinagar, Sakina Itoo said that the scheme is already operational and beneficiaries are receiving assistance, but qualification requirement added two years ago has become a concern.