Jaipur, Mar 24 (IANS): Aimed at promoting social harmony and unity, the Rajasthan government has announced doubling the incentive for inter-caste marriages to Rs 10 lakhs.

Effective immediately, inter-caste couples tying the knot will now receive Rs 10 lakhs, up from the previous incentive of Rs 5 lakhs.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had recently announced this in the 2023-24 Budget after which a notification was issued by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment on Thursday.

Under the revised Dr. Savita Ben Ambedkar Inter-caste Marriage Scheme, Rs 5s lakh will be put in a fixed deposit for eight years, while the remaining Rs 5 lakhs will be deposited in a joint bank account for the newlyweds.

The scheme, launched in 2006, initially provided with Rs 50,000 which was later increased to Rs 5 lakhs in April 2013.

The Central and state governments jointly fund the scheme, with the latter contributing 75 per cent and the Centre covering the remaining 25 per cent.

In the last financial year, the government released Rs 33.55 crore under the scheme, and over Rs 4.5 crore in the current year.