What New Initiative is Odisha's CM Launching for Widowed Girls?

Odisha's New Marriage Support Scheme for Widowed Girls

Bhubaneswar: On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a new initiative aimed at supporting widowed girls through the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana (MKVY), which is set to be rolled out soon in the state.

During a meeting held at Lok Seva Bhawan, Majhi emphasized that this scheme would significantly assist impoverished and vulnerable families by alleviating the financial strain associated with marrying off their daughters. The discussion focused on how to effectively implement the program under the Chief Minister's oversight to lessen the economic burden on underprivileged parents. Previously, the state provided support for inter-caste marriages through the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department and the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare department.

Majhi instructed the relevant departments to arrange for government-sponsored wedding gifts and to facilitate collective marriage ceremonies. He also urged them to expedite all necessary processes to ensure the prompt launch of the initiative.

As per official reports, a budget of Rs 12 crore has been allocated for this scheme for the current fiscal year. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, and senior officials from various departments including Women and Child Development, Finance, and Education.