Govt brings smiles to 54k SC, ST, minority girls

KALYANA LAKSHMI, SHAADI MUBARAK

Spends a whopping ` 277 crore for performing marriages of the poor and deprived

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has so far sanctioned and released Rs 277 crore for marriages of 54,614 SC, ST and minority girls under the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes.

According to a press release from Chief Minister’s Office, an amount of Rs 98. 573 crore has been sanctioned and distributed to 19,328 Scheduled Caste beneficiaries under the scheme for the year 2015-2016 as on Monday.

As against a total target of 31,395 anticipated to be benefited under Kalyana Lakshmi Scheme during this financial year, as many as 22,128 have registered their applications. The remaining applications are in the process of verification and would be sanctioned after that.

During the year 2014-2015, government sanctioned and released an amount of Rs 27.418 crore under this scheme benefiting 5,376 SC brides. For the year 2015-2016, the achievement was above 80 per cent in Mahabubnagar (2,955 beneficiaries), Nalgonda (2,715) and Khammam (1,917); above 70 per cent in Medak (2,075), Adilabad (1,891) and Warangal (2,239); above 60 per cent in Karimnagar (2,355) and above 50 per cent in Nizamabad (1,015) and Ranga Reddy (1,713) districts.

The overall achievement in all districts was around 70.48 per cent. As far as the Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries were concerned, during 2014-15, an amount of Rs 12. 90 crore was sanctioned and distributed to 2,530 beneficiaries. During 2015-16, an amount of Rs 49.50 crore benefiting 9,705 persons has been sanctioned and distributed.

Under Shaadi Mubarak Scheme, for the year 2014-2015, an amount of Rs 27.55 crore was sanctioned and distributed to 5,793 beneficiaries and during the year 2015-2016, as on MondayRs 60. 60 crore has been released and distributed to 11,882 beneficiaries.

Special Secretary to Chief Minister K Bhoopal Reddy on Monday reviewed the progress of Kalyana Lakshmi with reference to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries as well as Shaadi Mubarak Scheme with reference to minority welfare with the concerned officials.

Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak are two important schemes introduced by the government benefiting unmarried SC, ST and Minority (including Sikhs and Christians) girls below the poverty line, on their marriage with a view to alleviate financial distress in the family.

Under the Scheme, a onetime financial assistance of Rs 51, 000 shall be granted to them. The State government has kept this scheme under Green Channel and simplified procedures and certificates.

For effective implementation of the scheme, the Chief Minister has issued clear instructions to the authorities, that poor families who will be benefited by the scheme should not have any hurdles in obtaining financial assistance.

MROs and RDOs are made responsible to receive applications and their verification. The status of registrations, verifications, sanctions and amount credited into the accounts of the beneficiaries is monitored by concerned departments every day.

As per the ratio of SC, ST and Minority population in the districts, physical and financial targets are fixed for each district and communicated to the District Collectors and Joint Directors/Deputy Directors (SCDD) in the State. The entire amount of Rs 51, 000 is being credited straight away in to the bank account of the beneficiary without any middle men involvement.