251 Couples Tied the Knot Under the Chief Minister Kanya Vivah Scheme; Public Representatives and Officials Offer Blessings

Uttar Bastar Kanker, February 2026 : Under the Chief Minister Kanya Vivah Scheme, a mass marriage ceremony was organized today at the Shaheed Shivkumar Mandavi Sports Ground in Govindpur, where 251 couples were united in marriage. Public representatives and administrative officials, including Kanker MLA Asharam Netam, Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Fishermen Welfare Board Bharat Matiyara, Collector Nileshkumar Mahadev Kshirsagar, and District Panchayat CEO Haresh Mandavi, blessed the newlyweds and wished them a happy and prosperous married life.

Addressing the gathering, MLA Asharam Netam said the scheme serves as a strong support system for economically weaker families, promoting social harmony and respect for daughters. He noted that the initiative enables marriages to be conducted in a joyful atmosphere with traditional music and collective participation, significantly reducing the financial burden on families. Extending his heartfelt wishes, he prayed for a happy and successful married life for all the couples.

Collector Nileshkumar Mahadev Kshirsagar, while welcoming the families of the brides and grooms, described the initiative as a significant welfare scheme of the state government. He informed that financial assistance of ₹35,000 is provided for wedding gifts for the bride, which is directly transferred to her bank account through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. In addition, ₹1,000 is provided towards transportation expenses. Thus, a total assistance of ₹36,000 is given by the government for each marriage. He also conveyed his best wishes to the newly married couples for a harmonious marital life.

A total of 251 couples were married in accordance with traditional Vedic rituals during the mass wedding ceremony. These included 43 couples from the Kanker project, 30 each from Charama, Narharpur, and Bhanupratappur, 38 from Antagarh, 29 from Durgukondal, 20 from Koylibeda, and 31 couples from the Pakhanjore project.

The event was attended by former MP Mohan Mandavi, former MLA Sumitra Markole, District Panchayat Member Tejeshwari Sinha, Janpad Vice President Taruni Thakur, along with Satish Latiya, Rajiv Lochan Singh, Raja Devnani, Dilip Khatwani, Anoop Sharma, SDM Kanker Arun Verma, District Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department Vipin Jain, family members of the newlyweds, public representatives, and a large number of officials and staff.