Yogi government’s new initiative: Government will take up the responsibility of helping daughters of poor families Yogi government scheme for daughters

A news of great relief has emerged for lakhs of needy families of Uttar Pradesh. The state government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has decided to make a historic increase in the amount of assistance given for the marriage of daughters of economically weaker sections. Now in the state, financial assistance up to ₹ 1 lakh is being provided in the form of ‘Kanyadan’ for the marriage of girls of eligible families.

The main objective of this scheme is to eliminate the financial burden on poor families living in both rural and urban areas of the state during marriage. It is often seen that due to lack of money, poor families get trapped in debt for the marriage of their daughters. This initiative of the Uttar Pradesh government will not only stop the evil practices like child marriage, but will also make the future of daughters safe and respectable.

A clear framework has been prepared to deliver this assistance directly to the beneficiaries in a transparent manner. The entire amount received under the scheme has been divided into three major parts, so that the newly married couple does not face any difficulty in setting up their household:

• Cash amount of ₹70,000: This money will be sent directly to the bride’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), which will completely eliminate the role of middlemen.

• Wedding items worth ₹20,000: Necessary clothes, utensils, silver anklets, toe rings and household items of daily use will be provided to the bride and groom.

• ₹10,000 Event expenses: Plans have been made for organizing the mass wedding ceremony, pandal, food and administrative arrangements.

To ensure that the benefits of this scheme run by Uttar Pradesh Social Welfare Department reach only the genuine needy, some clear rules and eligibility criteria have been fixed:

• Native: It is mandatory for the applicant family to be a permanent resident of Uttar Pradesh.

• Family Income Limit: The annual income of the family should not exceed ₹ 2,00,000 (Rs two lakh) for both rural and urban areas. BPL card holding families will be given priority in this.

• Age Limit: At the time of marriage, the age of the bride should be minimum 18 years and the age of the groom should be minimum 21 years.

• Caste Category: This scheme is open to all sections of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), Minority and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) of General Category.

• Special Priority: Marriage of destitute women (widows), disabled persons and daughters of abandoned women will be given first preference in the selection process.

Applicants wishing to avail the benefits of the scheme must have all their legal and identity documents ready in advance:

• Aadhaar card of bride and groom

• Age certificate of both bride and groom (birth certificate, high school mark sheet or medical board certificate)

• Updated Income Certificate of the family

• Domicile Certificate

• Caste certificate (for all other categories except general category)

• Single bank account passbook in girl’s name (linked to Aadhaar and NPCI)

• Joint and separate passport size photographs of bride and groom

• Wedding invitation letter or legal registration of marriage

The Uttar Pradesh government has made the application system of this scheme completely digital and accessible so that even people living in remote villages can easily avail its benefits.

• online media: Applicants can visit the official portal of Uttar Pradesh Social Welfare Department (shadianudan.upsdc.gov.in or cmsvy.upsdc.gov.in) and choose ‘New Registration’ option. After filling all the required details here, the required documents will have to be scanned and uploaded.

• Public Suvidha Center (CSC): Citizens of rural areas can go to their nearest Common Service Center and get their online form filled at a nominal fee.

• Offline Process: The physical form can also be submitted by visiting the Block Development Officer (BDO) office at the block level or the Social Welfare Officer office of the Municipal Corporation/Municipality in urban areas.

After the application is submitted, the eligibility will be checked by the Sub-Collector (SDM) or Block Development Officer of the concerned area. As soon as the investigation is completed, the new couple will be provided blessings and full benefits of the scheme in a mass marriage program on the scheduled date.

This scheme is being implemented equally in all the 75 districts of the entire state, from the capital Lucknow to Gorakhpur of Purvanchal, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Agra and Meerut and Saharanpur of Western Uttar Pradesh. At the district level, District Magistrates have been instructed to approve the applications of eligible beneficiaries within the time limit without any delay. This step will boost the rural economy and promote positive attitude towards daughters in the society.