In 2020, which state initiated the 'Ashirwad Scheme' to extend financial support for a daughter's marriage who belongs to a lower…

Question

In 2020, which state initiated the 'Ashirwad Scheme' to extend financial support for a daughter's marriage who belongs to a lower income?

1. A. Uttar Pradesh
2. B. Bihar
3. C. Punjab (Correct answer)
4. D. Rajasthan

Correct Answer

Option C — Punjab

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Punjab.

Key Points

• The Ashirwad Scheme is run by the Government of Punjab to provide financial assistance for the marriage of daughters from economically weaker families.
• It is administered by the Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities.
• Eligibility is restricted to SC, Christian, Backward Class and economically weaker section families below a specified annual income.
• The assistance amount has been revised upward over successive budgets.

Additional Information

• The scheme is administered by Punjab's Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, and is aimed at families from Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and economically weaker sections.
• Several states run comparable marriage-assistance schemes under different names, and papers often test the state-scheme pairing rather than the details: Kanyadan and Shaadi Shagun are among the better-known examples.
• For state-scheme questions, anchoring each scheme to its state and its target group is more reliable than memorising benefit amounts, which are revised often.