PANAJI
More than 16,660 unmarried women applicants’ claims under the State government’s flagship scheme Laadli Laxmi are lying in Fixed Deposit and would be released to them once they provide valid marriage registration.
These applications are of women who had applied under the scheme for the purpose of education before the scheme was amended in 2022 to exclude the education criteria.
Under the revised scheme, wherein the financial assistance of Rs one lakh to young women is provided only for marriage purpose -- total 4,300 applications are awaiting clearance.
The Laadli Laxmi scheme was launched by former chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar in July 2012, one of the State’s flagship programmes, with the intention of addressing the undesirable tendency of female foeticides, and with the aim of erasing the general perception that the birth of a girl in the family is a burden on her parents or guardian during marriage.
Subsequently, following uproar, the scheme was amended in 2014 wherein all women after attain the age of 18 could apply for the scheme even for the purpose of education. Later in 2022, it was further amended wherein government said that the benefits under the scheme would be only for marriage purpose and not education.
Sources informed that almost 16,660 unmarried applicant’s forms are currently pending with the department and they will be cleared after they produce their respective valid marriage certificates. “These are applicants who had applied under the scheme for educational benefit,” sources said.
“Unmarried girls, who availed of the scheme for further studies, will get their remaining share of financial assistance at the time of their marriage. Their balance amount is safe in Fixed Deposit under the Scheme," sources said.
Meanwhile, currently there are 4,300 applications pending under the revised scheme as on date. For the current financial year, the government has cleared 2,145 applications and even disbursed the amount.
As many as 84,811 women have benefited under the scheme since its inception in 2012.
