The Government has provided incentives for inter-caste marriages but does not have plan to do the same for inter-religious marriages.
Responding to queries from Opposition members in lok Sabha, Union Minister Vijay Sampla said, “As of now, there is no plan to extend the scheme (Dr Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration) to inter-religion marriages.”
Under the centrally-sponsored scheme for implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, incentives for inter-caste marriages, where one spouse is a member of SC is provided.
The marriage has to be registered under the Hindu Marriages Act, 1955, the Minister of State for social justice and empowerment said.
Sampla said as per the scheme, the incentive of
Rs 2.5 lakh is shared on 50:50 basis between the Central and the State Governments, while the Union Territory administrations get 100 per cent central assistance.
“There is no proposal to increase the existing incentive amount of Rs 2.5 lakh to an eligible couple,” he said.