ATDUM demands a raise in the marriage incentive
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 07, 2014: Differently abled persons in Manipur are demanding a raise in the marriage incentive from Rs 5000 to Rs 30,000 from the Government of Manipur.

In its memorandum submitted to Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai, the All Tribal Disabled Union, Manipur (ATDUM) said that the marriage incentive award for the disabled persons should be raised to Rs 30,000. According to ATDUM, the Social Welfare Department of Manipur has initiated the "Marriage Incentive Award 2013-2014" for the physically challenged persons.

It also said the handicapped persons who have already got married have applied for the said incentive.

In doing so certain mandatory requirements are made such as duly sworn affidavit by either of the spouses; Marriage Certificate; and bank account number etc., and for procuring/arranging the same, a candidate has to spend more than Rs.3000, pointed out ATDUM in its memorandum.

Apart from this situation, it is learnt that each awardee is entitled the incentive to the tune of only Rs.5000."If this is the situation then the Social Welfare Department, Government of Manipur is in fact doing more harm than to help to those poor and helpless handicapped persons who entered marital lives and the scheme put forth by the department is meaningless," ATDUM rued.

ATDUM then recalled the reported declaration that the minister of Social Welfare, government of Manipur on World Disabled Day Celebration held on December 3, 2013, had announced for payment of Rs.30,000 to those married handicapped persons as �Marriage Incentive Award, 2013-2014'."However, in spite of such assurance as well as announcement made by your goodself (minister), the concerned authorities of your good department are doing not implementing it," ATDUM added.

ATDUM memorandum then alleged that the total number of around 175 applicants have been shortlisted for the incentive from the valley districts against a negligible number of around 22 applicants from the hill districts reflects biasness in the selection process.

The number of applicants short listed in district wise are that two for Chandel district, two for Tamenglong district, two for Ukhrul,four for Sadar Hills, around nine for Churachandpur, around three for Senapati, around 60 for Imphal East, around 30 for Imphal West, 10 for Bishnupur and 75 for Thoubal districts.

It also alleged that shortlisted candidates of the said scheme include a number of government employees thereby depriving the deserving candidates from availing the benefit.

It then lamented that a meagre amount of Rs.5000 per beneficiary under the Marriage Incentive Award is not worth a scheme .

ATDUM then alleged that at the time of selecting beneficiaries of the said scheme, the authorities concerned were doing �pick and choose policy' from each district which is very much contrary to the interest of all the disabled persons living in the State of Manipur.

"We sincerely feel that there should be uniformity in selecting beneficiaries from each district proportionate to the number of married disabled persons living in the districts," it stated.

"In view of the above facts and circumstances, it is earnestly requested that your goodself may kindly do the needful to streamline the scheme of Marriage Incentive Award, 2013-2014 so as to reach the benefits to the deserving persons in their sole interest as part of an aid under the said scheme as early as possible," ATDUM memorandum to the Social Welfare minister appealed.

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