Don’t get excited...it was not for Andhra or Telangana people. The Bihar government has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 to couples opting for inter-caste marriage. In order to encourage inter-caste marriages, the state government has decided to increase the incentive double i.e from 25000 to 50000.
The money will be transferred to the couple's bank account after their marriage. However, to be eligible for the marriage incentive the couple must stay together for at least three years and after only that they can claim their incentive money.Some other rules also existed to get eligible for the incentive.
One of the couple need to be an SC, while the other spouse need to be one from the general caste to be eligible for this inter-caste marriage incentive. To get the incentive, the bride should be a Hindu native of Bihar.A sum of Rs 50,000 would be deposited in the name of the bride.The amount to be deposited in the bank can be withdrawn or the term of fixed deposit extended only after the will of the couple.
The incentive scheme was first launched in 1979. Later government in 1999 increased the amount from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000.Castism was high in Bihar and inter-caste marriages were not in reality.Despite government's announcement of special incentives, the state witnessed very less number of inter-caste marriages in 2014.
