AGARTALA, May 2 (TIWN / IANS): The Tripura government on Tuesday increased to Rs 50,000 the financial assistance given to differently abled persons at the time of their marriage, a minister said.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers, presided over by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, decided to increase the assistance from the present Rs 6,000, Information and Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told reporters here.

The assistance has been increased for the first time since 1986.

According to the 2011 Census, around 70,000 physically challenged people live in Tripura, compared with the earlier 57,000.

Tripura Pratibandhi Awdhikar Manch state Secretary Salil Debbarma thanked the state government and urged both the central and state governments to fulfil the other long-pending demands of the physically challenged people.