Over 8,100 child marriages have taken place in Odisha in the last six years, informed Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Saturday.
In a statement during the budget session of the Odisha Assembly, Parida, who is also the Women & Child Development Minister, revealed that 8,159 child marriage cases have been registered since 2019.
Nabarangpur district reported the highest number of cases, followed by Ganjam and Koraput districts. The Odisha government has implemented various measures, such as awareness programs and the enforcement of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, of 2006, to combat this issue.
Additionally, the government has taken steps to prevent child labour. Since 2019, 328 child labourers have been rescued. Measures include filing cases against employers who hire child labourers, implementing a state draft in coordination with multiple departments, and conducting extensive awareness programs to address the problem.
