Bhubaneswar, June 21 -- Individuals marrying a person with disabilities will now be eligible to receive a financial incentive of Rs 2.5 lakh under newly introduced government guidelines. The scheme mandates specific eligibility, residential, and legal criteria to streamline the disbursement of the welfare funds across Odisha.

Under this framework, the scheme requires that either the husband or the wife must be a person with disabilities. Strict age limits have also been established, requiring the groom to be at least 21 years old and the bride to be 18 years old at the time of marriage, with a maximum permissible age limit capped at 60 years for both parties.

Furthermore, the marriage must be entirely dowry-free to qualify for the incen...