Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a significant achievement in the State’s campaign against child marriage. In a post on X on July 19, he highlighted the success of the initiative, noting its positive impact on societal norms and health outcomes for girls.
According to CM Himanta, there has been a notable reduction in teenage pregnancies over the past two years. The number of reported cases dropped from 9,330 in April 2022 to 3,401 in June 2024, marking a decrease of nearly 64 per cent.
Proud of the progress, Himanta Sarma reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continuing this mission with unwavering dedication. “Our rigorous mission against child marriage is not only bringing a societal change but also enabling a healthy life for our girls,” he stated.
Earlier, on July 18, the CM mentioned that the government would sustain its crackdown on child marriages, with special drives scheduled every six months. He instructed the director general of police (DGP) to conduct a preliminary survey for the next round of actions towards the end of the year.
Himanta Sarma’s comments followed an NGO report indicating a decline in child marriage cases due to the government’s actions. “Our campaign and tough action against child marriage will continue. Every six months, a special drive will be conducted, and the DGP has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next crackdown on child marriages in November-December this year,” he said in a video message.
Initially, some were “not happy with the crackdown against child marriages, but now people are preventing the social evil, even in minority areas,” he added.
The CM asserted that the data from the India Child Protection (ICP) report serves as a “testament to our sustained efforts in empowering Nari Shakti (women power).”
