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Social welfare & Empowerment

Incentive For The Inter Caste Marriage Couple (Scheduled Tribe)

The "Incentive for Inter Caste Marriage Couple" scheme was launched by the Tribal Welfare Department, Karnataka. The scheme provides incentives to the couple in which one spouse is from a Scheduled Tribe (ST) and the other spouse is non-ST. An incentive of ₹5,50,000/- is provided to the couple.

Authority

State/ UT

Region

Karnataka

Status

Verified 2026

Updated

March 2026

What you get

An incentive of ₹5,50,000/- is provided to the married couple, i.e. ₹3,00,000/- for the bride and ₹2,50,000/- for the groom.

Who can apply

The couple should be residing in Karnataka.; The couple should belong to the Hindu religion.; One spouse should belong to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community. Other spouse should belong to a community other than Scheduled Tribe (ST).; The combined annual income of the couple should be less than ₹5,00,000/-.; The couple should apply to the scheme within 18 months of marriage.; The non-ST partner should be a Hindu.; The non-ST partner should belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.; The marriage should have taken place on or after 7th February 2019.

Required Paperwork

  • Aadhaar Card
  • PAN Card
  • Income Certificate
  • Residence Proof (Domicile)

Common Questions

What is the "Incentive for Inter-Caste Marriage Couple" scheme?

The scheme provides financial incentives to Scheduled Tribe (ST) individuals who marry Hindu non-ST or SC individuals. It aims to promote social integration and reduce caste-based discrimination.

Who is eligible for this scheme?

Couples where one partner belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community and the other partner belongs to either the Hindu non-ST or SC category are eligible, provided they meet other criteria.

What is the financial assistance provided under the scheme?

The revised incentive is [?]2.50 lakhs for men and [?]3.00 lakhs for women.

What are the income requirements to qualify for the scheme?

The total combined annual income of the couple must be less than [?]5.0 lakhs to be eligible for the incentive.

What is the deadline for applying for the incentive?

The application must be submitted within 1.5 years (18 months) of the marriage.

Can couples residing outside Karnataka apply for this scheme?

No, the couple must be residing in Karnataka to be eligible for the scheme.

Do both partners need to be from the Hindu religion?

Yes, both partners must belong to the Hindu religion to qualify for the scheme.

Can a couple apply if the non-ST partner is from a religion other than Hindu?

No, only couples where both partners are Hindu are eligible for the incentive.

Does the partner from the ST community need to marry someone from the ST community?

No, the ST individual must marry a Hindu non-ST or SC individual, not another ST person.

Is the scheme available to all Scheduled Tribe individuals?

Yes, the scheme is available to any Scheduled Tribe individual who marries a Hindu non-ST or SC person, provided they meet the income and other criteria.