On the 70th Republic Day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath increased the monetary benefits of community service and also inaugurated the on-line distribution of scholarships to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students.

The announcements were made during a function of the Social Welfare Department here on Sunday.

The Chief Minister said that his government was committed to implementing the constitutional rights of the poor and the downtrodden and a beginning had been made by implementing welfare schemes without any consideration of caste, creed or colour.

“The government has decided to increase the monetary benefits under Mukhya Mantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana from the existing Rs 35,000 to Rs 51,000. Till date over 33,000 marriages have been solemnised and on February 9, over 10,000 mass marriages will be solemnised,” the Chief Minister said, adding that new couples would be given increased monetary help.

He also inaugurated the on-line scholarship distribution process by clicking the mouse of the computer. Over 1,000 students were given scholarships of which the Chief Minister himself gave certificates to 30 SC/ST students.

“The Prime Minister has always advocated use of technology as he believes that this will help in reducing corruption. The Social Welfare Department has made a praiseworthy work by introducing digital technology in distribution of scholarships to the students,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that technology had helped in distribution of scholarship money or pension worth Rs 10,000 crore through DBT (direct benefit transfer).

“This system is working so efficiently in Uttar Pradesh that the state has received the first prize in distribution of money through DBT,” Yogi said.

“The real meaning of independence is that benefits of government schemes should reach the masses without any hindrance. This government has started a special campaign between January 20 and January 30 to give widow and divyang pension benefits to bona fide beneficiaries . The Awas Yojana has been implemented without any bias. The people who automatically qualify for the scheme will get houses,” he said.