The scheme to provide financial assistance to those who have married across caste barriers has helped many families in Hassan.
Couples where one spouse belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community get benefits under the untouchability eradication programme. The Social Welfare Department handed over cheques to 48 couple in a programme organised in Hassan on Thursday.
Last year, as many 96 couple benefited from the scheme. The couples get the benefit in two instalments: the first in cash and the second in the form of national savings certificate.
K.R. Devaraju and Sowmya of Hassan got married despite opposition from both families in July 2013. That year, the scheme included Rs. 50,000 of financial assistance for the couple when the husband belongs to SC community.
Early days
“We got the first instalment of Rs. 25,000 in 2014. That was helpful for us those days when we had no support. Now both of us are working on contract basis in different firms. We are expecting the government to release the second instalment,” Devaraju said. The financial assistance was enhanced with effect from July 29, 2015. Inter-caste couples can now get Rs. 3 lakh, in case the wife is from the Scheduled Caste community and Rs. 2 lakh if the husband belonged to Scheduled Caste.
In 2014, the Social Welfare Department distributed Rs. 29 lakh to 96 couples. This year, Rs. 16 lakh was provided for 48 couples.
“The amount varies depending on the date they got married. The cash component has been revised twice in the last two years. Those who got married before 2013 get a maximum of Rs. 1 lakh, while those got married after July 2015 get up to Rs. 3 lakh,” N.R. Purushottama, District Social Welfare Officer, told The Hindu on Saturday.
Among the 48 couples, 15 women belonging to Scheduled Castes had married men from other castes . “The applicants have to produce marriage certificate, income certificates, besides caste certificates to claim the benefit. The annual income of the couple should not exceed Rs. 50,000,” Mr. Purushottam added.
