Maharashtra’s Women and Child Development Minister, Aditi Tatkare, informed the State Assembly about the government’s efforts to prevent child marriage in the state. The goal is to reduce the child marriage rate to below 10% within the next five years.
During a discussion in the Assembly, Minister Tatkare highlighted that as per the National Family Health Survey, the child marriage rate in India from 2019 to 2021 stood at 23.3%, while in Maharashtra, it was slightly lower at 21.9%. Recent data showed a decrease in child marriage rates, with Maharashtra’s rate dropping to 19.7%.
To combat child marriage, the state has prevented a significant number of such marriages in recent years. Minister Tatkare revealed that in the past few years, hundreds of child marriages were stopped, with a notable increase in prevention efforts and legal actions taken against offenders.
Efforts to prevent child marriage include the establishment of various task forces and protection cells at different administrative levels in Maharashtra. These measures have proven effective in curbing the practice and holding those involved accountable.
Minister Tatkare also mentioned exploring innovative ideas from other states, like Rajasthan’s practice of including birth dates on wedding invitations, to further strengthen preventive measures in Maharashtra. Additionally, a focus is placed on assisting migrant workers by providing childcare facilities and children’s homes for their families.
