The Kerala government has sanctioned ₹12.51 crore as pending financial assistance to 4,170 ‘mixed marriage’ (mishra vivaham) couples till March 2021.
The Social Justice department gives a one-time financial assistance of ₹30,000 to couples with inter-caste or inter-faith marriages (except those from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe) who face financial difficulties.
The assistance is handed over to the local self-governments such as block panchayats, municipalities, or Corporations for distribution to the beneficiaries. Since September 2010, the financial assistance has been increased to ₹30,000.
Some of the documents that need to be submitted while applying for the aid include income certificate to prove that the combined annual family income of the couple does not exceed ₹1 lakh, certificate proving that the marriage is registered, and Aadhaar or election ID card. The financial assistance should be used for purposes such as starting a business, purchase of land, or construction of a house.
In the 2021-22 financial year, the department had sanctioned ₹1.45 crore for distribution of arrears under the scheme to 485 applicants. However, district social justice officers reported that 4,170 applications were still pending in various districts – at the block panchayat level from 2016-17, and the municipality/Corporation level from 2017-18.
The maximum number of such applicants was from Alappuzha – 833. Thiruvananthapuram was next with 784 applicants. Malappuram had the least – 30. Kollam district had 37 applicants.
The government then issued an order sanctioning ₹12.51 crore to settle the arrears this financial year. The payment should be made to the beneficiaries considering the priority of applications received from the 2016-17 financial year.
