Bhopal, May 10 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Saturday that mass marriage programmes reflect the government's commitment to helping every daughter in the state.

He emphasised that such programmes support economically weaker families and significantly promote social unity, communal harmony, and inclusiveness in society. Yadav made the remark virtually addressing a mass marriage event held in Bagli Assembly constituency of Dewas district on Saturday.

During the programme, 230 women were married off, marking the beginning of their new lives.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the state government is consistently working for women's empowerment and social justice. He said efforts to make women self-reliant are ongoing. He further highlighted that, in the annual budget for 2025'26, the state government has made a provision of Rs 27,147 crore for the welfare and development of women and girls in the state.

"It is a matter of satisfaction that the state's gender budget has doubled over the past six years," he added. This year's (2025-26) budget includes Rs 18,669 crore for the 'Ladli Bahna Yojana' and Rs 1,183 crore for the 'Ladli Laxmi Yojana', both schemes introduced during the tenure of former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

To promote women's participation in government employment, up to 35 per cent reservation is provided for women in Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission recruitments, Yadav said during his virtual address.

A similar mass marriage event, organised under the Chief Minister Kanyadan Yojana, witnessed a total of 1,119 couples getting married under one canopy. The Chief Minister has stated that mass marriage programmes are excellent examples of harmony, unity, and frugality in society. He said that the marriage of many couples under a single canopy is a symbol of social awareness and changing mindsets.

'Mass marriages are now being gladly and easily adopted by society, which reflects a positive change in the mindset of our society. Such marriage events reduce the financial burden on both the families and further strengthen social unity,' he said on Friday.

/IANS