5,478 poor brides benefited from marriage assistance scheme, Qualification bar relaxed

October 29, 2025 by News Desk

The Jammu and Kashmir government has said that a total of 5,478 brides from Budgam district have received financial assistance under the State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS) over the past two fiscal years.

According to official data placed before the Legislative Assembly in response to a question by MLA Ali Mohammad Dar, the beneficiaries were supported under the Social Welfare Department’s Marriage Assistance Scheme, which provides financial aid to women from economically weaker families holding Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or Priority Household (PHH) ration cards.

In 2023–24, assistance was provided to 2,654 beneficiaries out of 3,158 applicants, while in 2024–25, 2,824 women benefited from the scheme out of 3,107 applications. A total of 787 cases are still under process.

Between April and October 2025, at least 113 applicants were denied financial support after failing to meet the minimum educational qualification—being a Class 8 pass—as prescribed under the 2022 guidelines.

Responding to concerns over the exclusions, the Minister in charge of the Social Welfare Department informed the House that the government has decided to relax the qualification criteria. The Class 8 educational requirement has been waived until March 31, 2028, and the change will apply retrospectively from April 1, 2025, enabling more applicants to qualify for assistance.

The revised guidelines, issued after concurrence from the Finance Department and approval of the Council of Ministers, maintain that beneficiaries from AAY households will receive Rs 75,000, while those from PHH families will get Rs 50,000, to be transferred directly into their bank accounts before marriage.