Bhubaneswar: More than 8,100 child marriages were held in Odisha during the last six years despite awareness programmes and stricter law, the state Assembly was informed on Saturday.
Answering a question in the House, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said that the government has registered a total of 8159 child marriage cases so far since 2019.
Sharing district-wise data, she said the highest number of 1347 child marriage cases were reported from Nabarangpur district followed by Ganjam with 966. Koraput district was placed third with 636 child marriages.
However, the state government has taken steps to address the issue under Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
Steps taken by the government to prevent child marriage are given below:
1. To prevent child marriage, awareness programmes are being conducted at blocks and Anganwadi levels. Also, awareness meetings are being jeld every three months at block, gram panchayat levels.
2. Public awareness programmes have been organised to prevent child marriages on Akshaya Tritiya.
3. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 has been implemented in Odisha.
4. Child development project officer CDPO, Panchayat Executive Officer, Wardens/ Matrons of Residential Hostels have been notified as child marriage prohibition officers.
5. All principals of the School and Mass Education Department/ Higher Education Department of the State have been notified as Child Marriage Information Officers.
6. PCMA committee meetings have been held at the state level to prevent child marriages once every six months.
At the same time, the state government has taken steps to prevent employment of children in hazardous occupations.
As per data by Office of the Labour Commissioner, 328 child labourers have been rescued so far since 2019, said the Minister, who holds Women and Child Development portfolio.
Steps taken for the prohibition of child labour are given below:
1. As many as 159 cases have been filed under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986 against the employers, who employ child labourers.
2. A state draft is being implemented by the state government in coordination with nine other departments for the prohibition of child labour. Under this, child labour monitoring and rescue operations are carried out in collaboration with other departments at the district level.
3. District Labour Officers and Police officials are trained to strictly implement the Child and Adolescent Labour(P&R) Act, 1986.
4. In addition, extensive awareness programmes are conducted in collaboration with other stakeholders for the prohibition of child labour.
