Kasthuri from Chintadripet had borrowed a lot of money to make her daughter study MBA but was always worried about the finances needed to get her married. On Tuesday, Kasthuri was one among the 2950 beneficiaries to receive cash and four grams of gold under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme at the Chennai Corporation for the year 2013-14.

Pointing out that the scheme was for women who have either completed up to class 10 or diploma or degree course, Minister for Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme B Valarmathi said, “There are many parents who worry that they cannot afford to buy gold for their daughter’s wedding. This is to reduce the burden of the parents who can make thali with the gold. It is important that the girl is educated to get this assistance. The scheme helps both a girl’s education and marriage.”

Those who had completed class 10 and were below the poverty line were eligible for an assistance of `25,000 and four grams of gold while those who have completed diploma or degree course and are below the poverty line can get `50,000 and four grams of gold.

On Tuesday, about 1,000 of them had completed class 10 while about 1,950 were diploma or degree holders, who received the assistance.

Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy was also present at the occasion.