Lok Sabha Question No. 140 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-02
Subject: Child Marriages
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: GAURAV GOGOI, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.140

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2018

## CHILD MARRIAGES

## 140.  SHRI GAURAV GOGOI: SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA: DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)    whether child marriages are still prevalent in many parts of the country, particularly in rural areas and if so, the number of such cases reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
- (b)    whether the Government has any data on pregnant women below the age of 18 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)     whether the various laws and programmes are not effectively implemented in the country to curb such practices;
- (d)     if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (e)    the further steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent child marriages across the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a) There is an overall decline in the incidence of child marriage in the country. As per Census, the percentage of ever married girls below legal age has reduced from 2.51% in 2001 to 2.44% in 2011. For boys, this figure has reduced from 9.64% in 2001 to 2.54% in 2011. Further, 'nil' marriages were reported in the age group of 0-9 years for both boys and girls in Census 2011. In rural areas too, there is a decline of 0.32 percentage points for girls and a decline of 7.67 percentage points for boys. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)  data,  the  State-wise  Cases  Registered  (CR)  under  the  Prohibition  of  Child Marriage Act, 2006 during 2014, 2015 and 2016 are at Annexure-I.
- (b) As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4(2015-16), the percentage of Women age 15-19 years who were already mothers or pregnant is 7.9%. This is a reduction from 16% as measured in National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3(2005-06).
- (c)    to (e)   The Government of India has enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in order to  prohibit  child marriages  rather  than  only  restraining  them.  The  States/UTs  from

time to time are being regularly pursued for effective implementation of the Prohibition of Child  Marriage  Act,  2006.  MWCD  regularly  sends  out  letters  to  District  Collectors  to increase  alertness  to  prevent  underage  marriages  during  festivals  such  as  Akshaya Tritiya/Akha Teej. The prevention of child marriage and protection of the girl child is a prominent part of the National Plan of Action for Children, 2016.

The practice of Child Marriages is largely due to the prevailing social customs, tradition, illiteracy,  poverty,  low  status  of  women  in  society  and  lack  of  awareness.  These  issues cannot be tackled by legislative interventions alone. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) programme is working to ensure the education of girls and reduce dropouts, thus delaying their marriage. A significant part of the BBBP advocacy campaign is focused on creating awareness  on  and  discouraging  the  practice of child  marriage.  Further,  the  newly formulated  Mahila  Shakti  Kendra  (MSK)  scheme  will  focus  on  creating  awareness  and equipping women at the village level  with  information  on  issues  of  gender  equality  and empowerment, a critical part of which will be the prevention of child marriage.

This is a continuous process and Government undertakes media campaigns and outreach programmes to address this.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to Part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.140 for 02.02.2018 regarding Child Marriage

No. of Cases Registered (CR) under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 during 2014, 2015 and 2016

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          |   2014 |   2015 |   2016 |
|-----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    |     16 |     15 |     19 |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 3         | Assam             |      4 |     14 |     23 |
| 4         | Bihar             |     10 |      0 |      0 |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      |      2 |      6 |      8 |
| 6         | Goa               |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 7         | Gujarat           |     16 |      9 |     12 |
| 8         | Haryana           |     15 |     14 |     14 |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh  |      4 |      1 |      0 |
| 10        | Jammu &Kashmir    |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 11        | Jharkhand         |      1 |      1 |      4 |
| 12        | Karnataka         |     44 |     35 |     51 |
| 13        | Kerala            |     19 |     13 |      8 |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh    |     15 |      9 |      9 |
| 15        | Maharashtra       |     14 |     24 |     16 |
| 16        | Manipur           |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 17        | Meghalaya         |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 18        | Mizoram           |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 19        | Nagaland          |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 20        | Odisha            |      0 |      1 |     15 |
| 21        | Punjab            |      2 |      5 |      8 |
| 22        | Rajasthan         |      5 |      6 |     12 |
| 23        | Sikkim            |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 24        | Tamil Nadu        |     47 |     77 |     55 |
| 25        | Telangana         |     13 |     15 |     19 |
| 26        | Tripura           |      1 |      2 |      1 |
| 27        | Uttar Pradesh     |     10 |      4 |      3 |
| 28        | Uttarakhand       |      0 |      1 |      1 |
| 29        | West Bengal       |     37 |     40 |     41 |
| 30        | A &NIslands       |      0 |      1 |      1 |
| 31        | Chandigarh        |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 32        | D &NHaveli        |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 33        | Daman &Diu        |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 34        | Delhi             |      2 |      0 |      1 |
| 35        | Lakshadweep       |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 36        | Puducherry        |      3 |      0 |      5 |
| Total     | Total             |    280 |    293 |    326 |