Hyderabad: Applicants under the Shaadi Mubarak and Kalyana laxmi schemes of the state government, meant to help families financially with weddings of daughters, are now a worried lot. Over one lakh applications are reportedly pending in the state, it has been learnt.
Applications of marriages performed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are pending in different phases of their approval. Since the lockdown was lifted, poor parents began enclosing necessary documents along with their applications to receive the subsidy.
The Telangana government’s Shaadi Mubarak and Kalyana Laxmi schemes are meant to lessen the burden for the underprivileged, so they can get their daughters married without incurring debts.
During the year 2020-21, 1.59 lakh Shaadi Mubarak and Kalyana Laxmi applications were received by people. If previous pending applications are added, then the total number of under-process applications will be 2.63 lakhs, out of which only 1.51 lakh applications have been expedited at a cost of Rs.1,502 crore.
The government reportedly needs Rs.1,115 crore for expediting the remaining 1.12 lakh applications, it is learnt. The state government has ordered for approving applications under both the schemes within 45 days after verifying their eligibility.
It pays Rs.1,00,116 as financial help to poor families when parents get their daughters married. Applications are received from every district of the state. As far the reasons cited for the delay, it is said that some Tehsildars are seeking marriage certificates instead of the invitation card and marriage photos.
The technical problem is attributed to that, while the COVID-19 crises and lockdown is also said to be the reason for the delay in expediting the applications. However, some applicants also said that their applications are approved but the payment is being delayed due to non-credit of Rs.92 crore in state’s treasury.
Under Shaadi Mubarak scheme there are 23,469 applications which are pending throughout the state and the government needs to pay Rs.233.15 crore to expedite them.