Odisha Government Is Incentivising Inter-Caste Marriages To Promote Social Harmony
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched a web portal that would help inter-caste couples get an incentive within 60 days of application. He also announced a hike in the incentive from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. The grant would be given to only people marrying for the first time.
In a bid to promote social harmony, Odisha will incentivise inter-caste marriages.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched a web portal that would help inter-caste couples get an incentive within 60 days of application.
Launching the Sumangal portal, developed by ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, CM Patnaik also announced a hike in the incentive from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh. Patnaik said such marriages would lead to social harmony.
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To get the one-time incentive, the marriage should be between upper-caste Hindus and Hindu of scheduled castes.
The marriage should be valid as per the law and duly registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. One of the spouses should belong to the scheduled castes as defined under Article 341 of the Constitution of India.
The grant would be given to only people marrying for the first time.
Image For Representation/Reuters
However in case, the bride is a widow or the bride-groom a widower, they would be eligible for the incentive. Incentives would also be given for the purchase of lands/essential articles for house-hold or for starting a business.
In August 2017, Odisha hiked the incentive for inter-caste marriage from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
At least 17 percent of Odisha¡¯s population are Dalits. Last year, 658 inter-caste marriages had taken place in Odisha.
