Government’s incentives for inter-caste marriage

Marriage in Indian society has been linked to the Hindu caste system for thousands and thousands of years. It has its roots in the Hindu religion, when each caste was assigned a role: the priests, the warriors, the farmers, and so on.

In many cases, the caste system has become obsolete, but it still has effects on some parts of society, such as marriage and finance.

Those who marry outside their caste are often shunned by their friends and family, or even attacked or killed. Although inter-caste marriage is legally allowed, it is still unaccepted socially, and little is done to protect the couples of inter-caste marriages.

However, state governments all around India are making an effort to change this fact. The Union Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment has established the Dr. Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration through Inter-Caste Marriages, in which the Ministry will provide ₹250,000 for each inter-caste marriage.

Several state governments are taking up the initiative as well. Odisha previously established an incentive of ₹50,000, which has now been raised to ₹100,000, and will be given to any inter-caste couple, regardless of their economic status. Over 4,100 couples have received these incentives from them over the last seven years.

Odisha is not alone in this incentive. Other states have taken it up as well, such as Karnataka, Bihar, and Haryana. The government of Bihar is paying ₹100,000 to inter-caste marriages, while the government of Haryana is playing ₹101,000 to marriages between Scheduled Caste people and Non-Scheduled Caste people.

As the initiative to socially integrate castes is growing, the governments are heightening the amounts that they give to these inter-caste marriages.

More state governments, such as the government of Maharashtra, are also in the process of creating inter-caste marriage incentives, thus allowing the movement to establishing social equality spread throughout the country.

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