Sopore, August 04: Sopore has emerged as the leading tehsil in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district in terms of beneficiaries under the State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS) for the ongoing fiscal year, officials from the Social Welfare Department confirmed on Friday.
Social Welfare Officer (TSWO) Tehsil Sopore, Waseem Ahmad said that over 200 cases have been forwarded so far this year under various categories of the scheme.
“The response from the public has been very encouraging. We are witnessing high saturation levels in Sopore,” he said.
Ahmad added that during the previous financial year, more than 600 verified applications were forwarded from Sopore to the Directorate of Finance, Social Welfare Department, making it one of the top contributors in the region.
The SMAS provides a one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to unmarried girls belonging to below poverty line (BPL) families or those facing other socio-economic hardships. The objective is to assist such families with marriage-related expenses and reduce the financial burden.
Gulshan Ara, a resident of the town, said the financial support arrived at a critical time for her family. “We belong to a very poor household, and my father had no stable income,” she said.
“I had applied for the scheme a few months before my wedding. I was granted ₹50,000 by the Social Welfare Department. It really helped us manage basic expenses for the function. Without this assistance, the marriage would have been difficult to conduct with dignity,” Ara said.
Another beneficiary, Mehak Jan, said that the application and payment process was smooth.
“I applied online and submitted all the documents they asked for. The staff at the local office guided us properly. Just a few days before my wedding, Rs 50,000 was credited to my account. My family was relieved, as we were struggling to manage everything. The money helped us buy some essential items and cover part of the expenses,” she said.
Officials attribute the high number of applications from Sopore to increased awareness, efficient digital processing, and cooperation at the grassroots level. The scheme continues to gain traction across Kashmir, with Baramulla district leading in the number of sanctioned beneficiaries.
However, several applicants have raised concerns over technical issues with the scheme’s online portal. Locals alleged that the application portal has been non-functional for several weeks, making it difficult for new applicants to submit forms or track their application status.
