The Finance Department has released additional funds to the tune of Rs 15 crore to the Social Welfare Department for the current fiscal for clearing the cases pending under State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS).According to Secretary Social Welfare, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, with the release of additional funds, the total allocation for SMAS for the current fiscal has gone up to Rs 35 crore.He said instructions have been passed on to the concerned to clear as many pending cases under the scheme at the earliest so that the deserving get benefitted.Dr Lone said the total number of beneficiaries covered under SMAS during the current year has crossed 5500 mark with the total financial assistance sanctioned, till date, during this fiscal crossing Rs 20 crore.He said more than 15000 poor girls have been covered since the inception of the scheme in 2015 and an assistance of around Rs 60 crore has been provided to them.Under SMAS financial assistance of Rs 25000 and cost of 5 gm of gold is provided to girls belonging to poor families for solemnising their marriages.