Bizzare: UP woman marries brother to exploit wedding ‘Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna’ scheme
In a shocking incident in Uttar Pradesh, a woman resorted to marrying her own brother to exploit the benefits of the Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna, a government scheme aimed at assisting economically weaker sections with marriage expenses. The incident occurred during a mass wedding event in Maharajganj, where 38 couples were supposed to tie the knot under the scheme.
Preeti Yadav, already married, and her brother Krishna were persuaded by intermediaries to pose as bride and groom when the originally intended groom failed to appear. The couple had registered for the scheme to receive benefits amounting to ₹51,000, which includes financial assistance, gifts, and ceremony arrangements.
Upon discovery of the fraudulent marriage, an investigation was launched, resulting in the suspension of a village development officer and further actions against officials involved in verifying the documents. Similar cases of fraud under the scheme have been reported previously, leading to arrests and the government’s decision to link Aadhaar details with marriage registrations to curb such incidents.
The Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna aims to support economically disadvantaged families by organizing marriage ceremonies according to their social and religious customs while providing financial assistance.
Under the scheme, the Uttar Pradesh government spends ₹51,000 per couple. The bride gets ₹35,000 transferred to her bank account for happiness in her married life and the establishment of a household. The rest of the amount is used for organizing the marriage programme and providing gifts.
The scheme has been grabbing headlines due to instances of fraudulent activities. Recently, brides in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district allegedly garlanded themselves at a mass wedding event under the scheme. Videos purportedly showing the incident went viral on social media.
However, instances of misuse highlight the need for stricter monitoring and preventive measures to ensure the scheme’s benefits reach genuine beneficiaries without exploitation.
