Did You Know, Centre Gives Rs 2.5 Lakh For Marrying A Dalit? Know All About The Scheme

Did you know there is a scheme which will give Rs 2.5 lakh for marrying a Dalit girl? In a bid to promote inter-caste marriages, the Narendra Modi government introduced Dr Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration under the aegis of Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The objective of the nation-wide scheme is to extend financial support to the inter-caste married couples to help them integrate into the mainstream of life.

Upon launched, there was a requirement that the combined annual income of the couple should not exceed Rs 5 lakh. However, the income limit was removed in 2017, making the incentive accessible regardless of the couple's financial status.

To reduce the chances of fraud, the incentive are disbursed in two instalments. Upon approval, the couple will receive Rs 1.5 lakh to help them settle into their new life. The remaining Rs 1 lakh will be deposited into their joint bank account but can only be accessed after three years.

The government had anticipated a higher uptake and initially limited the number of beneficiaries to 500 per year. However, there is no State-wise restriction on the number of beneficiaries.

The mandatory requirements for the release of incentive are: -

• Either of the Husband or Wife should belong to the Scheduled Caste category.
• The application should have the recommendation of a sitting MP/ MLA/ District Collector and the same should be forwarded to the Foundation by the State Government along with the requisite documents like copies of the marriage certi¿cate under The Hindu Marriage Act 1955, caste certificate of the husband/wife, who belong to SC category, joint bank account, etc.
• The marriage should be registered under The Hindu Marriage Act 1955.
• It should be the first marriage of the couple.
• If the State Govt. has already paid an incentive to the couple for inter-caste marriage they are not eligible for further assistance from the Foundation.
• The proposal will be treated as valid if and only if it is submitted within one year of the marriage.

Important clauses of the Act

The Special Marriage Act states that a marriage between two persons can be legalized, only if the following conditions are satisfied at the time of marriage:

• Neither of the two has a spouse living, at the time of the marriage.
• Neither of the two is incapable of giving a valid consent to the marriage due to unsoundness of mind.
• Neither of the party has been suffering from mental ailments to such an extent, that they are unit for marriage and the procreation of children.
• Neither party has been subjected to recurrent attacks of epilepsy or insanity.
• At the time of marriage, the groom should be of twenty-one years of age and the bride should be of eighteen years of age.
• Both the parties are not within the degrees of prohibited relationship; provided where a custom governing at least one of the parties permits marriage between them, such marriage may be solemnized, notwithstanding that they are within the degrees of prohibited relationship.
• If the marriage is solemnized in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, both parties should be the citizens of India, domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends.
• When a marriage is intended to be performed following the Act, the parties of the marriage shall give
• notice in writing, in the form specified in the Second Schedule to the Marriage Officer of the district, where the marriage is going to be solemnized.
• The marriage shall be solemnized after the expiration of thirty days of the notice period that has been published under the sub-section of the Act.
• At least one of the parties going to perform the marriage should have resided for not less than thirty days, immediately preceding the date on which the notice for marriage is issued to the registrar.
• The marriage officer is bound to display the notice of the intended marriage, by af¿xing a copy to some conspicuous place in his offce.
• If the marriage officer refuses to solemnize the intended marriage, then within thirty days of the intended marriage, either party can prefer to appeal to the District Court, having the of¿ce of marriage officer in its local limits of jurisdiction. The decision of the District Court, regarding the solemnization of the intended marriage, shall be final.