Marriage certificate no longer needed for workers availing Punjab’s ‘Ashirwad scheme’ benefits

The labour department has decided to now allow workers who are beneficiaries of Punjab government’s “Ashirwad” scheme to seek financial assistance without providing a marriage registration certificate.

It was earlier mandatory for the eligible workers to produce a marriage certificate, as a proof for availing ₹50,000 assistance under this government initiative, also known as “Shagun” scheme.

However, activists working for the welfare of unprivileged workers, said doing away with the proof of marriage registration may pave way for bogus claims.

Manvesh Singh Sidhu, principal secretary, Department of Labour said in view of the difficulties faced by beneficiaries to get marriages of their children registered, it has been decided to allow them get the benefits without an official marriage certificate.

“The workers have to run from pillar to post at tehsil offices to get marriage of their children registered. In view of this, the department has decided to provide a relaxation so that workers can apply for this scheme even without furnishing a marriage certificate,” Sidhu said.

The Building and Other Construction Workers’ (BOCW) welfare board in a recent meeting approved the proposal of availing the benefit without furnishing marriage registration certificate, an official said. Beneficiaries can now get assistance by furnishing the certificate issued by a religious organisation, and a self-declaration letter issued by parents of the couple, he said.

The scheme offers help for the marriage of women, whose parents are registered with the BOCW welfare board, girls belonging to the scheduled castes, backward classes, Below Poverty Line category, and daughters of widows.

While financial assistance to daughters of registered workers is being offered by the labour department from the welfare funds of BOCW board, the other beneficiaries avail the benefit from the Department of Social Security and Development of Women and Children.

Vijay Walia, organisation director of Centre for Social Change and Equity, an organisation working for the rights of unprivileged workers and persons with disabilities, said that in 2007, the Supreme Court made it mandatory for everyone to register their marriage. He claimed that with the decision to not make marriage certificate mandatory for availing the Ashirwad scheme, Punjab’s labour department is encouraging workers not to get their marriages registered which leads to violation of the apex court’s order.

“The persons with the nefarious agenda had been trying to get this proposal passed and have now succeeded. It will become easy for the touts to provide benefits of the scheme to ineligible beneficiaries,” he added.