With ‘Shubharambha’, a mass marriage ceremony, the district administration has added another feather to its cap. What makes it noteworthy is Mysuru is the home district of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who represents Varuna constituency in the Legislative Assembly.
The initiative is a brainchild of the district officials, headed by Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, to help farmers and economically poor classes to conduct marriages of their beloved without spending lavishly.
The idea struck the minds of officers, after the district administration conducted a survey to identify the reasons behind farmer suicides. During the survey, it emerged that many farmers, who committed suicide, had availed loan towards the wedding of their kith and kin.
A majority of farmers had pledged their land with private moneylenders to meet the expenditure of their children’s marriage in a grand way.Taking note of this point, the district administration chalked out ‘Shubharambha’, to prevent farmers and economically poor classes from spending huge amounts of money out of their limits.
“The event will definitely bring in changes in the society. The ceremony needs to be made more popular among common people,” Revenue and District In-charge Minister V Srinivas Prasad said appreciating the district administration’s effort in this regard.
The State government should introduce the ceremony in all the 30 districts to help farmers and poor, he added.
Kempegowda, a farmer and uncle of Savithramma, who married one Siddaraju, was equally in praise of the ceremony. According to him, such ceremonies save many farmers from landing in debt trap.
“I have spent only on travelling expense from H D Kote to Nanjangud. I am very much happy because we could marry Savithramma by spending the minimum amount,” he said and thanked the district administration.
Farming community is facing a difficult situation and it is better to utilise the opportunity shedding aside inferiority complex, he added.
Published 08 November 2015, 18:24 IST