As many as 451 couples including four disabled and two abandoned women tied nuptial knots in a mass marriage programme organised under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Kanya Vivah Yojna at Kanker district headquarters in Bastar division. Women and Child Development Minister Ramsheela Sahu and other public representatives besides administrative officers blessed the couples on the occasion. Addressing the people on the occasion, Sahu said that the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Kanya Vivah Yojna was started by the Chief Minister Raman Singh with objective to eradicate social evil of dowry and to save the poor families from taking loans for marriages of their girls. She said that the parents should provide education and better opportunities of development to their girls to make them educated and self reliant. This will pave the way for development of their entire family.
Sahu said that 53000 couples from poor families of the State have tied knot under the scheme and leading a happy married life. She said that Chhattisgarh is a rural State of peasants and labourers. The State Government is committed for prosperity of these people. Sahu informed that the Government will spend Rs30,000 for marriage of each poor couple under the scheme. Abandoned women can also avail the benefit of this scheme and they will be provided an assistance of Rs15000 as provided to girls of BPl families.
She provided Rs1000 cash and other household items to the newly wed couples. Sahu also administered oath of cleanliness among the couples. MlA Bhojraj Nag also lauded the scheme and efforts of the Government for welfare of poor people of the State besides eradication of social evils. Zila Panchayat President Subhadra Salam and ex-MlA Dayaram Sahu also expressed their views on the occassion and offered their blessings to the couples.