Punjab government has sanctioned ₹34 crore for the beneficiaries under the state's Ashirwad scheme, said the cabinet minister Baljit Kaur said on Monday.
Under the Ashirwad scheme, financial assistance of Rs 51,000 is provided for the marriage or remarriage of a woman belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Backward Classes (BC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Minister of Social Justice, Empowerment, and Minority Affairs Kaur said the approval of Rs 34 crore has been granted for 6,786 beneficiaries of the Ashirwad scheme.
She said Rs 27.32 crore has been sanctioned for 5,357 SC beneficiaries for the fiscal year 2023-24.
Kaur said the state government has sanctioned Rs 7.28 crore for 1,429 BC and EWS beneficiaries for the year 2023-24.
This amount will be disbursed directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts, she said.
The eligibility criteria for the Ashirwad scheme require applicants to be permanent residents of Punjab, belonging to the SC, BC, or EWS, have an annual family income of less than Rs 32,790, and fall below the poverty line.
Financial assistance is available for up to two daughters per eligible family.