Ashirwaad scheme in limbo, no benefit since April last year

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 23

Beneficiaries of the ‘Ashirwaad’ scheme have not got Rs 21,000 each ‘shagun’ money since April 2019.

The Congress, in its poll manifesto, had promised to increase the amount from Rs 15,000 to 51,000. In July 2017, the government had increased the shagun amount from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000.

Under this scheme, the state government provides money for the marriage of a girl whose family’s annual income does not exceed Rs 32,790. The said amount is directly transferred to a bank account of the girl or her family members.

Jagmohan Singh Maan, District Welfare Officer, Muktsar, said: “We prepare a report of around 200 cases every month. Shagun money has been paid till April 2019. The department will soon disburse money till October last year.”

Barinder Singh, District Welfare Officer, Fazilka, said: “Beneficiaries have not got shagun money after April 2019.”

SBS Nagar District Welfare Officer Kamaljit Raju said: “The directorate will soon disburse money till October 2019.” Meanwhile, repeated attempts to contact Devinder Singh, Director, Welfare Department, proved futile. Not just the beneficiaries of the Ashirwaad scheme, but a large number of inter-caste marriage couples have been waiting for Rs 50,000. Some districts have not got even a single penny under this scheme since 2011.

The Centre and the state government had introduced the inter-caste marriage scheme to abolish caste consciousness by contributing money on 50:50 basis.