Woman& Child Welfare Dept. places demand of Rs 18 lakh before govt.
Nagpur: The State Government has though introduced ‘shubh-mangal’ scheme for checking the farmers’ growing suicides and rehabilitation of families of farmers committing suicide due to growing debts and their inability to meet marital expenses incurred thereof, its ex-gratia payment due is held up in respect of such married/ marriageable couples of Gondia district. There are as many as 126 couples awaiting as beneficiaries of the scheme.
Under ‘shubh-mangal’ scheme, as many as 56 couples tied nuptial knots last year during a mass marriage programme organised by the department of woman and child welfare, and they have not yet been paid the ex-gratia amount due. Similarly, this year 70 couples are to be married under the same scheme, and they too are due to receive ex-gratia payment.
However, the department of woman and child welfare has sent a proposal to the state government with a demand of Rs 18 lakh for the marriages (56) performed last year, and those to be performed this year (70), in all for 126 couples. But, the ex-gratia payment is still awaited by the department.
It may be mentioned here that under the aforesaid scheme the mother or father of bride is paid an ex-gratia of Rs 10,000. In case of no parents, the bride is paid the ex-gratia. The body/ social organization which gets such marriages solemnized is paid Rs 2,000 per couple, and the applications are required to be forwarded through such body/ organization. It is said that there being certain discrepancies in applications, the benefit of the scheme is not being provided.
Necessary documentation
The prescribed applications for shubh-mangal scheme benefits, bearing discrepancies, are rejected. It is necessary to attached the caste-certificates, birth-certificates, proof of residence in case of both bride and bridegroom; certificates for their being in marriageable age, certificate for the parents of bride being farmers, certificate in case of being farm-peasants, certificate of income in respect of parent/ father of bride below Rs 1 lakh, certificate from Patwari or Gramsewak for their marriage taking place for the first time, xerox copy of bank passbook possessed by bride’s mother or father, in case of no parents xerox copy of bride’s bank account passbook. There many claims pending due to lacuna in this regard.
The department of woman and child welfare is being looked after by some deputed in-charge official since year 2013. Two posts of probationary officer are lying vacant in the department, and the office is running in a rented accommodation. In other words, the department’s condition is pathetic.
Inter-caste-marriage couples not benefited
Those couples which go for inter-caste marriage are benefited under shubh-mangal scheme, they are provided Rs 50,000 ex gratia per couple.
