Elderly couple marry under Madhya Pradesh’s Kanyadan scheme, get ₹11,000

A 65-year-old woman married her 75-year-old live-in partner in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, becoming the oldest beneficiaries of the state government’s scheme that offers ₹11,000 monetary aid and gifts worth ₹34,000 to a poor woman on her marriage

Published on: Feb 18, 2023, 01:39:24 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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Bhopal/Satna: A 65-year-old woman married her 75-year-old live-in partner in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, becoming the oldest beneficiaries of the state government’s scheme that offers ₹11,000 monetary aid and gifts worth ₹34,000 to a poor woman on her marriage.

The elderly couple, Bhagwandin (75) and Mohania (65) — both residents of Deori village —got married under the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Scheme, which was introduced for marriage of poor couples. (HT Photo)

According to government officials, the elderly couple, Bhagwandin (75) and Mohania (65) — both residents of Deori village —got married under the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Scheme, which was introduced for marriage of poor couples.

Ramkhelawan Patel, the minister of state for panchayat and rural development, handed over the money and household items worth ₹34,000 to the elderly couple on Thursday.

“A total of 130 couples got married in Deori on Thursday but I am happy to see the marriage of this elderly couple,” said Patel. “They broke all the records and shunned social stigma that there is no age bar for marriage.”

Bhagwandin, who is specially abled by birth, was married for 50 years and did not have any children. His wife died 11 years ago. This was Mohania’s first marriage. They were in a live-in relationship for the past few years, said villagers, adding the woman was taking care of Bhagwandin.

“The villagers wanted to give a name to our relationship, so we agreed to marry,” said Mohania. “We are happy now.”

Omkar Singh, Deori panchayat secretary, said the villagers persuaded the two to get married. As Bhagwandin was unable to take pheras due to physical limitations, village youths carried him in their arms for marriage rituals, said Singh.

“The couple was living together and their relationship was a very pious one, so we asked them to get married,” said Ramesh Kumar Patel, a local resident. “The couple didn’t have much money and they did not have any relatives to make arrangements for the marriage, so we registered them under the Mukhyamnatri Kanyadan Scheme.”

(With inputs from Amit Singh)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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