CM’s mass marriage scheme: SOPs laid to nix mismanagement, abuse of funds
The social welfare department framed these guidelines regarding applying, scrutiny of selected couples after controversies arose in several districts
The social welfare department has developed a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) including provisions for random verification of 10% of the selected couples, to ensure transparency and avoid anomalies in the chief minister’s mass marriage programme.
Officials of the revenue or other departments will conduct these verifications and the presence of district magistrates (DM) is mandatory for mass marriages involving over 100 couples at one event.
The social welfare department framed these guidelines after controversies of minor girls getting married and remarrying married people in mass marriage events in different districts across the state.
A senior government official said that people often do this to meet the target as well as families register minor girls for mass marriages just to get gifts received by the girls married under this scheme.
He said the payment of ₹ 51,000 is made under mass marriage scheme, of which ₹ 35,000 goes to the girl, ₹ 10,000 for purchasing matrimonial materials and ₹6,000 for the event. In cases involving widows, abandoned individuals, or divorced persons, up to ₹5,000 worth of marriage materials are provided at the time of the marriage itself. The department has set a standard expenditure of ₹6,000 per couple to cover all arrangements.
He said the department has set a target to facilitate the marriages of 1,06,911 couples in the current financial year, all within the prescribed budget.
The release from the state government’s media cell stated that a detailed SOP has been prepared for enrollment and verification of couples under chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s ambitious CM Mass Marriage Scheme, which aims to facilitate marriages of needy girls across all classes.
It stated that the SOP included instructions to organise marriages of fewer than 100 couples at a single location within the districts, whenever possible, and the presence of the district magistrate is mandatory for events with more than 100 couples.
“During the event, a separate registration counter will be set up to confirm the eligibility of couples. Additionally, the deputy director of the division and the district social welfare officer from a nearby district will be on-site to oversee arrangements and submit a report to the department,” said an official in the release.
He further said that the provisions have been made for random verification of 10% of the selected couples, conducted by officers from the revenue or other departments under the guidance of the district magistrate. He said the district-level committee has been tasked with overseeing these investigations to enhance the scrutiny process.
He said the investigating officer will submit his findings using a verification format generated from the portal. “During these investigations, it will be ensured through local enquiries that individuals present at the venue have not been previously married, thereby preventing ineligible persons from benefiting from the scheme under any circumstances.
“In addition to enhancing the verification process, participation in mass marriages will now be limited to applications approved with digital signatures from the respective block development officer, executive officer, and district social welfare officer levels,” he emphasised.
He stated the application process has been digitised, requiring Aadhaar demographic authentication to confirm that the groom is over 21 years of age, and the bride is over 18 years. He said the applications can be submitted through the online portal.
Under the scheme, applicants can apply online through the website
https://cmsvy.upsdc.gov.in.
Application forms can be filled out at Jan Suvidha Kendra (Common Service Center), district social welfare office, cyber cafe, private internet centres, or the department website. Applicants are required to submit their applications at least one week before the scheduled marriage date. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.