Ganderbal, April 30: Dozens of eligible young women in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir have been left in distress as payments under the Jammu and Kashmir government’s Marriage Assistance Scheme remain pending for over eight months, despite the completion of all necessary formalities.
The scheme offers a one-off financial grant of Rs 50,000 to girls from economically weaker families, particularly those falling under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Household (PHH) categories. However, several families say the prolonged delay has disrupted wedding plans and deepened financial hardship.
“All our documents were submitted eight months ago, but not a single rupee has been credited,” said a group of applicants. “We are losing patience. Authorities must act before we decide to stage a massive protest.”
An elderly resident said that the scheme is for the poor daughters who can’t afford their marriage expenses. “Yet, there is a long delay. My daughter is scheduled to get married in mid-June and we haven’t received a single penny so far,” he said and appealed to the concerned department to disburse the due amount into the accounts of deserving beneficiaries without any further delay.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO) Ganderbal, Bashir Malik, acknowledged the delay, citing administrative bottlenecks. “We have processed and forwarded the verified applications to the Directorate for further action. The delay is due to a hold-up at the administrative department level, which manages the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system,” he said.
The delay has sparked appeals for urgent intervention. Several affected families have called upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally look into the matter and facilitate swift disbursal of the aid. In a recent policy shift, the government announced an increase in the grant from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 for eligible applicants, effective from April 1. While welcomed in principle, beneficiaries in Ganderbal stress that pending dues must be released without further delay.
