In a significant move to support underprivileged families, the Odisha government has forged a strategic partnership to enhance its flagship marriage assistance scheme. The Women and Child Development Department has officially joined hands with the Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation, popularly known as Utkalika, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Thursday.
Boosting the Mukhya Mantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana
This collaboration is designed to directly benefit the beneficiaries of the Mukhya Mantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana (MKBY), a recently launched state initiative. The scheme, which will run until 2030, aims to alleviate the financial strain on parents from economically weaker sections by providing government-backed support for weddings. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also holds the portfolio of Women and Child Development Minister, emphasized that the scheme is a multi-pronged effort to promote social welfare and economic growth simultaneously.
Comprehensive Assistance Package for Brides
Under the newly signed MoU, Utkalika will supply a curated package of wedding gifts for each bride enrolled in the MKBY. This package includes elegant handloom sarees, traditional silver ornaments like anklets and toe rings, and essential household items such as utensils and upholstery.
The total financial assistance under the scheme is set at Rs 51,000 per bride. The breakdown of this amount is as follows:
- Rs 35,000 is provided as direct financial assistance.
- Rs 10,000 is allocated specifically for procuring the wedding gift package from Utkalika under the Department of Handloom, Textile and Handicraft.
- Rs 6,000 is given to a designated NGO responsible for organizing the wedding ceremonies.
Broader Social Objectives and Oversight
Deputy CM Parida outlined that the MKBY scheme has objectives that extend beyond mere financial aid. It actively promotes widow remarriage by offering support for their weddings. Concurrently, it discourages child marriage by restricting eligibility to girls who are 18 years of age or above. The scheme also encourages the mandatory registration of marriages under the Odisha Marriage Rules, spreads awareness about women's legal rights within matrimony, and reinforces the law against dowry.
For the overall supervision of the scheme, the State Task Force for Empowerment and Protection of Girls and Women has been designated as the state-level committee. This body operates under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary, ensuring high-level monitoring and implementation.
"This partnership with Utkalika is a win-win," said Parida. "It ensures that brides receive quality, culturally significant gifts while also providing a sustained market for our state's talented handloom and handicraft artisans, thereby supporting a crucial sector of our economy." Together, these measures are envisioned to foster a culture of responsible, lawful, and dignified marriage practices across Odisha.
