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| Implement Marriage Scheme for girls in letter & spirit: HC to Govt | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Jan 29: The J&K High Court has directed government to ensure implementation of State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS) and Hunar, a skill development programme, for the girls living below poverty line in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Closing a suo-moto Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of Justices Ali Mohammad Magray and Dhiraj Singh Thakur observed that government has already issued cabinet orders as regards the schemes. Under SMAS, the eligible girl would receive one-time financial assistance of Rs 25000 and cost of 5gm of gold.
“On consideration of the matter, it has been observed that the respondents (government) are implementing both the schemes in letter and spirit. Therefore the court feels it necessary to close the PIL by directing the respondents to ensure the implementation o the schemes in letter and spirit,” the court said.
The schemes were launched in 2015 on the directions by the court in order to enable the poor girls live a dignified life and prevent their exploitation. The PIL was initially a petition, seeking quashing of PSA order at the pre-execution stage against one Mohammad Amin Beigh, a resident of Kulgam in south Kashmir.
Beigh—who was running a private security agency— was ordered to be detained under the PSA by District Magistrate Srinagar on December 26, 2011 for indulging in immoral activities including physically exploiting poor girls as well as supplying them to others.
Before closing the PIL, Court reiterated its order in which it had recorded that the government has identified 373086 girls as poor and hapless in the erstwhile state.
For the scheme, the court had said areas be carved out in both urban and rural areas, which are in close proximity with each other where these girls have been identified.
“Two or three Mohalla or wards in urban areas and one or two villages in rural areas can constitute a unit and the girls of these areas be made part of Society or Cooperative Society which shall be, exclusively, for these girls and for their benefits,” the court had said.
It said the amount which would be required for launching these societies, shall be provided by the government.
The court had directed that the societies or Cooperative Societies of these girls shall he provided all incentives to work according to its directives. “The products of these Societies, Cooperative Societies, shall be purchased by the Handicraft Department, Handicraft Corporation of the State and the payments to these Societies, Cooperative Societies shall be made at the time of purchase of the products itself,” the court said.
It had said further profits earned by these Government outlets shall be shared by societies, Cooperative Societies in equal proportions. The court had further held that the government would provide all necessary paraphernalia to enable these girls to start the activities.
The court had asked the state government to constitute a separate fund for which it would be at liberty to seek donations from philanthropists. “This fund shall be utilized for marriage purpose of the girls whose number is mentioned in this order and who are identified by the State authorities themselves. A minimum of Rs 25000 shall be paid to a girl who is to be married. And as for as possible five grams gold shall be given to her,” the court had said. |
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