Chandigarh, Oct 2 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has ordered exemption or waiver of the annual income limit for girl beneficiaries of the Aashirwad scheme who have lost both parents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, the annual income limit for availing the benefit of the scheme was Rs 32,790. The state government provides Rs 51,000 per beneficiary for the marriage of women belonging to low-income families under the Aashirwad scheme, earlier known as the Shagun scheme.

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A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said irrespective of income, girl beneficiaries from Scheduled Caste, Christian community, backward categories and caste, economically weaker categories, widows of any caste on marriage and the divorcees or widows of SC category on re-marriage would avail the financial benefit under the scheme.

The chief minister clarified that other norms of the scheme would remain unchanged.

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)