The Govt. of Telangana has announced its decision to provide Rs.3 lakhs to girls who willingly come forward to tie the nuptial knot with Brahmin priests working in temples situated in the newly-created State.

It has been becoming extremely difficult for Brahmin priests in temples in Telengana to get brides to get married. The main reason for this is reportedly the low salary provided by the Government to such priests and those chanting vedic hymns. The Association of Priests had earlier made it clear to the Govt. that the society looked down on those working as priests and chanting vedic hymns.

A meeting of the Telengana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad (TBSP) (working under the Govt. of Telengana) was held at the State Secretariat.  Headed by its president K.V. Ramanachari, the meeting expressed its disappointment about the fact that those working as priests and chanting hymns at temples are ‘looked down’ by the society which doesn’t offer them brides to get married.

Telengana chief-minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that brides who get married to priests and vedic pundits would be provided Rs.3 lakhs which would be deposited into a joint bank account to be opened in the name of the couple. The amount, however, would be deposited only after 3 years of marital life thus ensuring that the brides don’t take the money and run away.  One lakh rupees would also be given in advance to take care of marriage-related expenditure, it has been announced.

The Govt. has also introduced a scheme known as BEST (Brahmin Entrepreneurship Development Scheme) for the welfare of the community. The Parishad has also appealed to poor Brahmins to come forward and take advantage of the various welfare schemes in existence.