Assam Budget 2023-24: ₹200 Crore Allotted For The Goal To End Child Marriage
Guwahati: The state government of Assam has announced the commencement of the “Mission for Prevention of Child Marriage” with a budget allocation of Rs 200 crore in an effort to eradicate child marriage incidents in the state by the year 2026.
Assam finance minister Ajanta Neog noted that child marriage is one of the major causes of the state’s high rates of maternal and newborn mortality. As a result, preventing child weddings in the State has become not just necessary but urgent.
“We have been sincerely addressing these concerns and could reduce our maternal mortality from 237 in the year 2014-16 to 195 in the year 2018-20 and infant mortality rate from 49 in the year 2014 to 36 in the year 2020. Child marriage has been one of the prominent reasons for our high IMR and MMR. Sir, here I would like to point out that curbing child marriages in the State has not only become necessity but an urgency. Our government has launched a mass drive against the violators of “Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) 2006” earlier this year. To sustain the efforts, our government is committed to launch this State mission with a target of making Assam free of incident of child marriage by the end of year 2026,” said Ajanta Neog at the Assam Budget Session.
The Assam government has designated all gramme panchayat secretaries as Child Marriage Prevention Officers, she added. They will make sure that child marriage is forbidden, that victims are protected, and that criminals are brought to justice by filing FIRs.
The finance minister also said that all district police units will continue to run rigorous drives every six months in order to pursue the appropriate legal action against criminals.
“The Mission will work in a time-bound manner and will link all programs and services that are working for women and children, for effective implementation of special legislations such as Prevention of Child Marriage Act 2006, POCSO Act 2012, Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection) Act, 2015 and Right to Education Act, 2009 in collaboration with relevant line departments, stakeholders like NGOs and Samaritan volunteers. This Mission will specifically focus on surveillance, strengthening institutions, introduction of helpline, and rehabilitation of victims. There will be a call centre to monitor the complaints,” Minister Neog added.