SMAS: Consider enhancement

The government has come up with a unique scheme for the underprivileged women in Kashmir in a bid to help them to get married. Since its inception in 2015, a total of 18976 women have availed the benefits of the scheme. In Srinagar alone, 1220 beneficiaries have availed the benefits while the highest beneficiaries have been reported in Baramulla where the social welfare department has sanctioned 3306 cases under the scheme. SMAS is a Social Assistance Scheme implemented by the Social Welfare Department to financially assist un-married identified women in Jammu and Kashmir who belong to the below poverty line category. The Administrative Council headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha earlier in 2022 restructured the State Marriage Assistance Scheme to provide benefits to all AAY and PHH families. As per the restructured scheme, any girl of legally marriageable age belonging to the families of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), or Priority Household (PHH) ration card holders, will be eligible for one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000. Such a scheme is proving helpful to the women in need as the underprivileged women here were facing immense hardships earlier in absence of such assistance. But, at the juncture, there is a need to enhance the amount under the scheme keeping in view the market rates of essentials and other related things. The enhancement in the scheme would bring further relief to the underprivileged women in Kashmir and they would be able to enjoy their marriage without any uncertainty or insecurity.