In Assam, brides to get Rs 30,000 to buy gold

Guwahati: In what is said to be the part of the population policy, the Assam Cabinet has envisaged an ambitious scheme worth Rs 800 crore to check the child marriage by committing gold worth Rs 30,000 to every bride.

The benefit of the scheme, which is called Arundhati scheme, will go to bride only if marriage is solemnised and registered under the Special Marriage (Assam) Rules, 1954 after January 1, 2020.

Asserting that the scheme was aimed at empowering the women, state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state Cabinet has approved the scheme and it will come into effect from January 1, 2020.

“Assam government has decided in our budget that we will give one tola [10gm] of gold to the bride if a marriage is solemnised and registered. Because, if you register a marriage then there will be a minimum age which is notified as 18 years and 21 years for the bride and bridegroom,” said Mr Sarma adding that the state Cabinet has approved this scheme in last Cabinet meeting.

“Now any marriage which will be registered, the bride will get Rs 30,000 from the state government to purchase gold. But, to have benefit from the scheme, your minimum age has to be 18 years and 21 years and you have to be matriculate (Class 10 pass),” said Mr Sarma, pointing out that admit card of the board examination would be treated as age certificate.

The Assam minister further said: “It is a part of our larger women empowerment policy. So that in Assam, you can establish a correct age of marriage — 18 and 21 years — and also you get a society which is full of educated boys and girls.