Assam government unveils scheme to give one ‘tola’ gold to brides
The scheme will be available only to those brides whose marriages are registered under Special Marriage Act, 1954.
The Assam cabinet has approved a scheme to provide monetary aid to brides from families with annual income of less than Rs 5 lakh to buy one ‘tola’ (around 10 grams) of gold if the marriage is registered, the state’s finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Wednesday.
The scheme, titled Arundhati, which was announced in this year’s budget proposals in February, will cost the state exchequer around Rs 300 crores, and would become operational from January next year.
Sarma said the scheme will be available only to those brides whose marriages are registered under Special Marriage Act, 1954.
Other conditions include that the bride should not be less than 18 years of age, the groom above 21 years and both of them should have passed Class X — a provision kept to verify their age. Brides from ‘adivasi’ and tea-tribe community can avail the scheme even if they have not cleared Class X exams, Sarma said.
“Registration of marriage would have two benefits, the bride would be ensured of her legal rights post marriage and it will help eradicate child marriage to a certain extent,” said Sarma.
Instead of handing over gold, an amount of Rs 30,000 (the current price of around one ‘tola’ of gold) would be deposited in the bride’s account after they register their marriage and apply for the scheme. Proof of buying that gold will have to be submitted to the government.
There would be reassessment of the amount if there is big change in prices of gold. A girl would be able to avail the scheme only for her first marriage and not for subsequent marriages, if any.
Sarma clarified that couples who have got registered under provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, the Muslim Marriage Act or the Christian Marriage Act would not be able to avail benefit of the scheme.
“The scheme will come into effect from January 1, 2020. But those brides who got married on or after Dec 1, 2019 would be able to avail the scheme if she registers her marriage on or after January 1, 2020 and apply for the scheme,” said Sarma.
