Bhubaneswar: Child marriage rates in 12 of the 30 districts in Odisha are higher than the national average, the state Assembly was informed on Saturday.
Sharing this information while replying to a question in the House, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said child marriage rates are alarmingly high in districts like Nabarangpur (39.4%), Nayagarh (35.7%), Koraput (35.5%), Rayagada (33.2%), and Malkangiri (32.4%).
Districts like Mayurbhanj (31.3%), Kendujhar (29%), Gajapati (28.1%), Balasore (26.4%), Boudh (25.3%), and Angul (25%) are also among those recording child marriage rate higher than the national average include.
Notably Odisha’s overall child marriage rate is 20.5 per cent, much below the national average of 23.3%. However, the concentration of high child marriage rates in several districts of Odisha has been described as a matter of serious concern for the state.
The Deputy CM identified five major factors significantly contributing to child marriage in Odisha. Social customs and traditional beliefs, gender-based discrimination, poverty, social insecurity, and lack of education among adolescent girls are considered major factors for prevalence of child marriage in several districts.
In its reply, the government stated steps are being taken to intensify awareness campaigns, strengthen educational outreach, and implement community-level interventions to curb the practice of child marriage. Efforts are also being made to ensure greater coordination among departments to safeguard the rights of children and prevent early marriages across vulnerable regions.
