Bhubaneswar: Child marriage remains a serious concern in Odisha, with over 8,100 cases recorded in the last six years, despite awareness initiatives and strict legal measures. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also serves as the Women and Child Development Minister, presented these figures in the Odisha Assembly during the budget session.
Since 2019, a total of 8,159 cases of child marriage have been officially registered across the state. Among the districts, Nabarangpur reported the highest number of cases at 1,347, followed by Ganjam with 966 and Koraput with 636.
To combat the issue, the Odisha government has implemented several measures under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Awareness campaigns are being conducted at the block and Anganwadi levels, along with quarterly awareness meetings at the gram panchayat level. Special programs are also organized on occasions like Akshaya Tritiya to discourage child marriage. Additionally, key officials, including Child Development Project Officers, Panchayat Executive Officers, and hostel wardens, have been appointed as child marriage prohibition officers, while school and college principals have been designated as Child Marriage Information Officers. The government also conducts state-level meetings every six months to review and strengthen preventive strategies.
Apart from tackling child marriage, the Odisha government has been actively working to prevent child labor. According to data from the Office of the Labour Commissioner, 328 child laborers have been rescued since 2019. Legal action has been taken against 159 employers under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986. A coordinated effort involving multiple departments is being implemented to monitor and rescue affected children. District Labour Officers and police officials are receiving training to enforce child labor laws effectively, while awareness campaigns are being carried out with the involvement of various stakeholders.
Despite these efforts, the persistence of child marriage and child labor highlights the need for stricter enforcement, enhanced awareness, and stronger community engagement to eradicate these practices completely.
