By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 17, 2017: In a bid to encourage inter caste marriage, Odisha government has Thursday doubled the cash incentive for such marriages from existing Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

The monetary assistance for inter-caste marriage couples has been doubled to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 50,000 as per the notification issued by SC, ST Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department.

The amount would be given to the couple irrespective of their economic status and the money should be used to purchase land or household articles, informed SC/ST secretary Surendra Kumar.

The grant to couples for inter-caste marriages between the Scheduled Caste belonging to the Hindu community and other caste-Hindus was under consideration of the Government and the proposal was also discussed in the meeting of the Scheduled Caste Welfare Advisory Board held on June 2015.

The cash incentive has been hiked to encourage inter-caste marriage to eradicate untouchability while there will not be any income restriction in availing the benefit, the notification read.

The couple shall have to apply for sanction and will have to execute a bond.

The couple has to refund the amount within a year if its marriage ends in divorce within five years.

Odisha had last time increased the amount from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 in 2007. Official sources said at least 17% of Odisha’s population are Dalits.

There are many states which are offering the cash incentive to promote inter-caste marriages to eradicate untouchability. Rajasthan is the only state which gives a hefty Rs 5 lakh for inter-caste couples.

A marriage in which one of the spouses belonged to the Scheduled Caste and the other belonged to a non-Scheduled Caste would be considered for the incentive.

According to the rule, the couple shall have to apply for sanction and will have to execute a bond.

The couple has to refund the amount within a year if the marriage ends in divorce within five years, sources said.