“Authorities Must Stay Alert to Prevent Child Marriages on Akshaya Tritiya” – Minister of State Meghana Sakore-Bordikar

Mumbai : With numerous weddings being held on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, instances of child marriage are often reported on this day. Against this backdrop, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Meghana Sakore-Bordikar, has urged all concerned authorities to remain vigilant and take proactive measures to prevent child marriages.

A meeting was held at Nirmal Bhavan to discuss the necessary actions to be taken to prevent child marriages during Akshaya Tritiya. During this meeting, Minister Sakore-Bordikar addressed the attendees. Officials including Commissioner Nayana Gunde, Joint Commissioner Rahul More, along with District Collectors, Superintendents of Police, and Women and Child Development Department officers participated via video conferencing.

Minister Sakore-Bordikar emphasized that, according to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, marrying girls below 18 and boys below 21 is illegal. However, such marriages are still reported during Akshaya Tritiya. Hence, District Collectors and Police Superintendents must implement systematic measures to curb this practice. At the village level, gram sevaks, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, police personnel, and women and child development officers should stay especially alert and work collaboratively to prevent child marriages, she added.

Highlighting that preventing child marriage is not just the government’s responsibility but also a collective duty of society, the minister stressed that when a complaint is received, local leaders such as sarpanches and police patils must also be held accountable. She noted that the prevalence of child marriage is higher in tribal areas, and hence, awareness campaigns should be intensified in those regions. Officials working in these areas must also review the situation every three months.

Referring specifically to Parbhani district, where the number of child marriages is reportedly high, Minister Sakore-Bordikar directed officials to launch a special campaign in that region.