SRINAGAR: In an unusual move, the Jammu and Kashmir government has disclosed the identities of 5,478 brides from Budgam district who received financial aid under the State Marriage Assistance Scheme, each getting Rs 50,000 in assistance. The details were made public in response to a question raised by Ali Mohammad Dar, MLA, in the legislative assembly on October 29.
According to the government’s written response, the beneficiaries were supported under the Social Welfare Department’s Marriage Assistance Scheme, which provides financial support to poor girls from families holding Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) or Priority Household (PHH) ration cards.
The official data revealed that in the fiscal year 2023–24, 2,654 brides were provided assistance out of 3,158 applicants, while in 2024–25, the number rose to 2,824 out of 3,107 applicants. In total, 5,478 brides have benefited from the scheme in Budgam, while 787 cases remain under process.
However, between April and October 2025, at least 113 applicants were denied assistance for failing to meet the prescribed minimum educational qualification—being a Class 8 pass—as required under the 2022 guidelines.
Responding to concerns over this exclusion, the Minister in charge of the Social Welfare Department informed the assembly that the government has now decided to relax the qualification criteria. The minimum education requirement has been waived until March 31, 2028, making more women eligible for support under the scheme. The change will apply retrospectively from April 1, 2025.
The Social Welfare Department, with concurrence from the Finance Department and approval of the Council of Ministers, issued a fresh order amending Government Order No. 49-JK(SWD) of 2022. The revised guidelines continue to provide Rs 75,000 to beneficiaries from AAY households and Rs 50,000 to those from PHH families, to be transferred directly into the accounts of eligible women before their marriage.
Officials said the government’s decision to disclose the list of beneficiaries is “a transparency measure,” though such detailed disclosures are rarely made public.
