The Uttar Pradesh government has increased the financial assistance for this scheme from ₹51,000 to ₹1,00,000. According to the new system, a portion of the aid amount is directly transferred to the bank account of the newlywed bride.
The objective of this scheme is to provide relief from marriage expenses to economically weaker families.
Additionally, the eligibility limit has been expanded to include families with an annual income of up to ₹3,00,000.
Verification, Transparency, and New Rules
To enhance transparency in the scheme, biometric verification has been made mandatory — Aadhaar biometric matching will be conducted for the bride, groom, and other beneficiaries before the wedding ceremony.
Revenue and local officials conduct random verifications in several districts to identify ineligible beneficiaries.
Sultanpur Special — What Happened and What Was Said
For Sultanpur, a target of 538 couples has been set for this year. The auspicious dates (muhurat) will begin on November 3, and the program will run for a total of 17 days — including 14 days in November and 3 days in December.
This year, over 1,000 applications have been received.
There is a provision to spend ₹1,00,000 per couple under this scheme.
Allegations, Scams, and Controversies
A case has come to light where a woman with three children received benefits under this scheme, despite being already married. An investigation into such misuse is ongoing. Reports indicate fraudulent activities in this scheme — married women were remarried, and there were lapses in the verification process. Questions have been raised regarding the accountability of block-level officials and the verification process.
