Patna: More than 22.72 lakh girls from economically weaker families have benefited from chief minister’s Kanya Vivah Yojana since its launch, with the state disbursing over Rs 1,136 crore in marriage assistance through direct benefit transfer (DBT), according to data released by the social welfare department on Sunday.The scheme provides a one-time grant of Rs 5,000 for the marriage of daughters from below-poverty-line (BPL) families and households with an annual income of less than Rs 60,000. Officials said 7,694 eligible beneficiaries have been identified for the next round of payments, for which Rs 3.84 crore has been earmarked.The number of beneficiaries has risen significantly since the scheme’s launch. While 20,000 girls received assistance in 2007-08, the figure peaked at 2.31 lakh in 2022-23, when the state disbursed Rs 115.86 crore under the programme. The beneficiary count stood at 1,57,868 in 2023-24, followed by 65,535 in 2024-25 and 39,435 in 2025-26.According to the department, a total of 22,72,035 girls have benefited from the scheme so far, with assistance transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the DBT system.To be eligible, the bride must be at least 18 years old and the groom at least 21 years old. The state govt said the scheme aims to ease the financial burden of marriage on poor families, encourage marriage registration and help prevent child marriage.The programme is implemented by the social welfare department, and payments are released after verification of eligibility criteria.
