New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Targeted financial assistance from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Maharashtra government has helped a couple build a life of equality and dignity after their inter-caste marriage, said an official on Saturday.
The support helped Aniket Adhik Sapkal and his wife Meenakshi Hanumant Patole purchase essential household items, manage daily needs and lay the foundation for a more stable and self-reliant future, inspiring many others like them, the official said in a statement.
“Financial assistance helped us begin our married life on a stronger footing and move towards a stable future,” said Aniket, who, along with his wife, received the financial assistance on June 1.
They are among the many beneficiaries of the Government of Maharashtra’s Inter-Caste Marriage Incentive Scheme, implemented through the Social Welfare Department, which provides couples with valuable financial assistance to promote inter-caste marriage.
By extending financial support, the scheme seeks to encourage social integration and contribute to reducing caste-based barriers in society.
Expressing their gratitude, the couple expressed hope that more eligible couples would benefit from the scheme and receive support in building secure, dignified and empowered lives, the statement said.
They said assistance strengthened their confidence and encouraged them to move forward with greater security and optimism.
It enabled them to focus on building their life together while reinforcing their belief in the importance of equality and mutual respect, said the statement.
The Inter-Caste Marriage Incentive Scheme represents a commitment to the values of equality, fraternity and social harmony and a step towards building a society free from caste-based discrimination, said the official of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Aniket and Meenakshi’s journey reflects how financial assistance, combined with a commitment to equality and mutual respect, can help couples begin a new chapter with confidence while contributing to the larger goal of an inclusive and harmonious society, said the official.
Under the scheme, Rs 50,000 is provided jointly by the State and Central government (50:50 share). It is issued as a joint draft or direct transfer in the combined names of the spouses, according to the official website.
Maharashtra’s Inter-Caste Marriage Incentive Scheme can be combined with central initiatives like the Dr Ambedkar Foundation scheme (eligible with an SC spouse) for extended support up to Rs 30 lakh total package depending on criteria, it said.
Inter-Caste Marriage Incentive Scheme requires that one spouse must belong to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Vimukta Jati (VJ/Denotified Tribes), Nomadic Tribes (NT) or Special Backward Classes (SBC), and the other spouse must belong to Savarna Hindus, Hindu Lingayat, Jain or Sikh communities, it said.
–IANS
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