Lok Sabha Question No. 2828 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Child Marriage
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 2828

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2023

## CHILD MARRIAGE

## 2828.   SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- a. whether it is  a  fact  that  the  percentage  of  child  marriage  among  women  in  Andhra Pradesh is higher than the national average, as per report of NFHS-5;
- b. if so, the reasons therefor;
- c. whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  communication  or  advisory  to  the  State Government to curb such practices;
- d. if so, the details thereof; and
- e. whether the percentage of child marriage among women has increased between 2016 and 2021 and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a)  &  (b):    As  per  National  Family  Health  Survey  (NFHS)-  5,  the  national  average  of percentage of women (age group 20-24 years) married before the age of 18 years  is 23.3%, whereas, it is 29.3% in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

(c)  & (d):    'Police'  and  'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of  life and property of the citizens, investigation and prosecution of crime against women and children including  prohibition  of  child  marriages,  rest  with  the  respective  State  Governments.  The State Governments are competent to deal with such offenses under the extant provisions of laws. Nevertheless, the Central Government undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns and outreach programs and issues advisories to the States/ UTs from time to time to highlight evil  effects  of  this  practice.  Further,  the  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development implements the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, wherein creation of awareness on matters pertaining to gender equality and discouraging child marriage is an important focus area.  The  National  Commission  for  Protection  of  Child  Rights  (NCPCR)  also  undertakes awareness programs and consultations with stakeholders from time to time in this regard. In addition,  Government  of  India  has  introduced  CHILDLINE  with  short  code  1098,  a  24X7 telephone  emergency  outreach  service  for  children  in  crisis  which  responds  with  suitable interventions  to  call  for  any  form  of  assistance  which  a  child  requires,  including  for prevention of child marriages in coordination with police, Child Marriage Protection Officers (CMPOs), District Child Protection Units etc. Section  16  of  Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act  (PCMA)  authorises  the  State Government to appoint  for  the  whole  State,  or  such  part  there  of  as  may  be  specified,  an officer or officers to be known as the 'Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO)' having jurisdiction over the area or areas specified in the notification. This section also specifies the functions to be discharged by CMPOs, which also include preventing solemnisation of child marriages by taking such action as they may deem fit; to collect evidence for the effective prosecution of persons contravening the provisions of the Act; to advise the individuals or counsel the residents of the locality not to indulge in promoting, helping, aiding or allowing the  solemnisation  of  child  marriages;  to  create  awareness  about  the  ill  effects  of  child marriages; and to sensitize the community on the issue of child marriages. These authorities function under the respective State Governments/ UT Administrations. As such, implementation of the provisions of the Act lies with them.

(e):   The  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  compiles and publishes the data on the number of cases of child marriage registered under 'the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006' in its publication 'Crime in India'. The said report is available upto the year 2021.  As  per  information  available  with  NCRB,  the  number  of  cases  registered  under  the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 during 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 are 326, 395, 501, 523, 785 and 1050 respectively. However, higher reporting of cases does not necessarily reflect increase in the number of cases of child marriages, but it may be because of  increased  awareness  among  citizens  to  report  such  incidents  due  to  initiatives  by  the Government and better enforcement of law by States/ UTs.

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