Bhopal:Monday, September 1, 2008:The scheme for marriage of handicapped persons announced by Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Nishaktjan Panchayat has been put into practice. With a view to socially rehabilitating handicapped persons, the state government has implemented this scheme from the month of August. Those handicapped persons who tied the nuptial knot before August 12, 2008 will not be eligible for benefits under this scheme.
As per the definition of handicapped person given in The Persons with Disabilities Act, beneficiaries having 40 percent or more handicap will be eligible to get the benefit of the marriage scheme. Each beneficiary will be given Rs 25 thousand and a citation. Rs five thousand more will be given to each beneficiary on solemnising marriage under Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana.
The state government has set terms and conditions about the eligibility criteria. The couple should be a citizen of India and domicile of Madhya Pradesh or should have been living here for the last five years. No member of the couple’s families should have been involved in a criminal case. The age of groom and bride should not be less than 21 and 18 years respectively at the time of marriage. The marriage should be solemnised through religious rituals or court. None of the couple should be income tax payee. None of the couple should have another spouse and no criminal case should be pending against any of them.
Marriage incentive money will be given to the couple jointly only once. If anyone of the couple is responsible for breaking the marriage within five years he or she will be liable to refund the incentive money, which will be realised like revenue amount.
Rs 25 thousand will be payable to a handicapped boy marrying a normal girl and vice versa or handicapped boy marrying a handicapped girl besides a citation. Application form in prescribed proforma can be submitted to Joint Director/Deputy Director, Social Justice Department. The application must accompany certificate of handicap issued by a competent medical board. Latest photographs of bride and groom will have to be pasted on the application along with an affidavit signed by the bridge or the groom. These officers will forward the application with their recommendation to the concerning district collector, who will be responsible for implementing terms related to the incentive money.