The Telangana State government has enhanced the financial assistance by an additional Rs 25,000 to the beneficiaries of the ruling party’s novel and prestigious welfare program of Kalyana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubarak Schemes.
Announcing this in the Assembly on Monday after the question hour, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said the State government has decided to raise the financial assistance under the two schemes to Rs 1,00,116 from the present Rs 75,116. He said the enhancement of the assistance was taken with a view to ease the burden of the families in performing the marriages of their daughters.
The Chief Minister said it was very unfortunate and tragic that a girl-child, who should be considered as a Bhagyalakshmi was now being viewed as a big burden on the family because of several problems being faced in performing marriages. Many families have become bankrupt for performing the marriage of their girls as loans were being procured on heavy interest, he observed.
In order to mitigate the burden on the poorer sections of the people in performing the marriages of their daughters, the Chief Minister said the TRS Government has launched the novel welfare scheme of Kalyana Lakshmi on October 2, 2016, though it was not in the election manifesto of the TRS. To start with, an assistance of Rs 50,116 was provided under the scheme to SCs, STs and BCs. Later, the Minorities were also included in the welfare program under Shadi Mubark Scheme. The assistance was later raised to Rs 75,116. So far, as many as 3.69 lakh beneficiaries availed the financial assistance, he added.
The Chief Minister said the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubarak Schemes, which were dear to his heart, were appreciated all over the country. Keeping in view the increase in the expenditure being incurred for performing the marriages in view of high cost of various commodities, the government has decided to enhance the assistance by Rs 25,000 and the beneficiaries would now get Rs 1,00,116. The announcement received thunderous applause from both the Treasury and Opposition benches.
Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari made a similar announcement in the Legislative Council. (NSS)