No plans to give incentives for inter-religious marriages: Govt

NEW DELHI: The government has no plan as of now to provide incentives for inter-religious marriages, similar to the sops given for inter-caste marriages, Union minister Vijay Sampla said on Tuesday.

"As of now, there is no plan to extend the scheme (Dr Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration) to inter-religion marriages," he said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.
Under the centrally-sponsored scheme for implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, incentives for inter-caste marriages, where one spouse is a member of SC is provided.

The marriage has to be registered under the Hindu Marriages Act, 1955, the minister of state for social justice and empowerment said.Sampla said as per the scheme, the incentive of Rs 2.5 lakh is shared on 50:50 basis between the central and the state governments, while the Union Territory administrations get 100 per cent central assistance.

"There is no proposal to increase the existing incentive amount of Rs 2.5 lakh to an eligible couple," he said.

Asked about the possibility of providing similar incentive to a couple which enters into the wedlock without taking dowry, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan remarked "if such a scheme is implemented, it will be a dowry from the government".