SRINAGAR: MLA Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Para on Friday questioned the non-release of Rs 70 crore under the Marriage Assistance Scheme and Rs 200 crore under the Ladli Beti Scheme over the past three financial years, including the current year.
The People’s Democratic Party legislator criticised the National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that welfare measures meant for economically weaker sections were not reaching beneficiaries in practice. In a post on X, he said that of the Rs 300 crore recorded as disbursed under the Ladli Beti Scheme, Rs 200 crore remains pending, while Rs 234 crore shown as disbursed under the Marriage Assistance Scheme includes about Rs 70 crore still lying in the treasury.
He questioned how amounts that have not left the treasury can be described as disbursed, stating that beneficiaries require actual financial transfers rather than recorded allocations. He also sought accountability from the government on the issue.
The Jammu and Kashmir government informed the Legislative Assembly that more than Rs 364 crore has been disbursed under the two schemes during the last three financial years, including the current year. In a written reply to an unstarred question moved by Para, the government stated that Rs 130 crore each was disbursed under the Marriage Assistance Scheme in 2023–24 and 2024–25, benefiting 26,000 recipients annually.
For the current financial year 2025–26, as on date, Rs 234 crore has been recorded as disbursed among 44,301 beneficiaries. The reply noted that this amount includes bills worth Rs 70.08 crore pending in the treasury for payment.
District-wise data showed that Baramulla recorded the highest number of beneficiaries under the Marriage Assistance Scheme in 2023–24 with 2,721 cases, followed by 2,472 beneficiaries in 2024–25 and 3,855 beneficiaries in 2025–26 so far. Other districts with significant coverage in the current year include Budgam with 4,255 beneficiaries, Anantnag with 4,308, Kupwara with 3,426 and Pulwama with 2,429 beneficiaries.
Under the Ladli Beti Scheme, the government sanctioned 1,41,085 cumulative beneficiaries in 2023–24, with Rs 213.75 crore disbursed. In 2024–25, 1,76,126 beneficiaries were sanctioned and Rs 150 crore disbursed. For 2025–26, as on date, 1,98,024 cumulative beneficiaries have been sanctioned, with Rs 300 crore recorded as disbursed, while Rs 200 crore remains pending, according to the government’s reply.
