KAWASOTI: Inter-caste couples here have not received the cash incentive announced by the government for such marriages. The government had announced in its budget speech that such couples would be provided Rs 100,000 cash incentive, as part of the initiative to end caste discrimination in the society.

CDO Bal Krishna Panthee said the district administration office is helpless as it has not received any instruction or guidelines on cash incentives to inter-caste couples so far. Maina BK of Kotthar said her family has not received the incentive even though her son married a non-Dalit girl months ago. The government had initially pledged to provide support within a month of the marriage. Maina’s son Bir Bahadur has married Sarita Pokharel of Gaidakot. He works as a driver while his wife is a tenth grader. Maina says she will send her daughter-in-law for further studies after she passes SLC. This is probably the first intercaste union to coem to light in the district after the government announced the incentive package.