Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale today stressed on the need for promoting inter-caste marriages to shun social evils like casteism and told the state governments to formulate schemes in this regard

Rohtak: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale today stressed on the need for promoting inter-caste marriages to shun social evils like casteism and told the state governments to formulate schemes in this regard.

"In addition to financial assistance, state governments should also announce jobs for those opting for inter-caste marriage," he said.

There has been an increase in the number of such marriages in the last few years which has resulted in change in attitude of the people, Athwale said, adding his ministry is preparing a scheme under which more facilities would be provided to those who would opt for inter-caste marriage.

Currently, the ministry provides a grant of Rs 2.5 lakh to those who opt for inter-caste marriage and under the new scheme, increasing the amount is under consideration, he said.

Informing that his ministry also gives scholarships to students, the Union minister said, scholarships are being given to 68 lakh students belonging to Scheduled Castes and to 72 lakh students belonging to Other Backward Classes.

The ministry also has schemes for senior citizens and for differently-abled persons. It also runs Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Foundation to undertake various social works, Athwale added.

He condemned the Uri terror attack and said it is "necessary" to "teach a lesson" to Pakistan, which supports terrorism, and big nations like America, Russia and China

should support India on this issue.

Criticising Pakistan for "promoting" terrorist activities and exerting its claim over Kashmir, which belongs only to India, he said, it has become necessary to "teach, at least for one once, a lesson" to a country like Pakistan, which supports terrorism.