Lok Sabha Question No. 772 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-29
Subject: Child Marriage
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Dr. Shivaji Bandappa Kalge, Shri B K Parthasarathi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 772

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2024

## CHILD MARRIAGE

772. Shri B K Parthasarathi:

Dr. Shivaji Bandappa Kalge: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi:

- Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) Whether the Government has taken note of recent report by UN pointing out that nearly one third of all child marriages globally are held in India; (b) if so, the response of the Government thereto indicating the number of females in the country affected by child marriage during the last three years, State -wise including Andhra Pradesh, district -wise; (c) whether  any  initiatives  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  child marriages in the country, if so, the details of such initiatives and their current implementation status especially in rural areas, State/UT-wise; (d) the number of child marriages, prevented in the country, State-wise and district wise in Andhra Pradesh; and (e)   Whether the Government proposes to amend the prevention of child Marriage Act to include child betrothals as illegal in line with international laws such as Convention on the Elimination of All  Forms  of  Discrimination  Against Women
- (CEDAW) which stipulate against betrothals of minors, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) to (d): 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  2022  -  Crime  Head-Wise  and  State/  UT-wise.  As  per information  available  with  NCRB,  the  number  of  cases  registered  under  'the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, (PCMA), 2006' during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 are 785, 1050 and 1002 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. The Statewise details of child marriage registered under PCMA, 2006 during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 is at Annexure.

'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the Constitution of India. The responsibility 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/ UT Administrations. They are competent to deal with such offenses under the extant provisions of law.

Government has enacted 'The Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006'  (PCMA)  in order to curb child marriages and to take punitive action against those associated with child marriages. 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  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.

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.  The  Ministry  has  also  written  to  all States/ UTs to increase the number of CMPOs, as presence of Statutory Officer at local  levels  results  in  even  more  effective  public  engagement  on  the  subject  and prevention of solemnisation of child marriage. Further, the Ministry of Women and Child  Development  implements  the  Beti  Bachao  Beti  Padhao  (BBBP)  component under the umbrella scheme 'Mission Shakti', 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 'Child Helpline' with short code 1098, a toll-free 24X7X365 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 Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), District Child Protection  Units  etc.  The  ChildLine  has  also  been  integrated  with  Emergency Response  Support   System(ERSS-112)  to  provide  for  24x7  emergency  and  nonemergency  response  and  services.  Further,  the  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child Development launched 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat'  campaign  on  27.11.  2024  at  New Delhi.  Under  the  campaign,  a  portal  'https://stopchildmarriage.wcd.gov.in'  has  also gone live. This online platform has been created to support the States/UTs in raising awareness  against  child  marriage  and  for  effective  reporting  and prevention  of incidences  of  child  marriage.  The  portal  to  also  provide  information  to  citizens about  Child Marriage Prohibition Officers(CMPOs) of all States/ UTs.

(e): There is no such proposal under consideration at present.

******

Annexure

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UN-  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.772  FOR  ANSWER  ON  29.11.2024  ASKED  BY SHRI  BK  PARTHASARATHI  ,  DR.  SHIVAJI  BANDAPPA  KALGE  AND  SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI REGARDING 'CHILD MARRIAGE'

The  State-wise  details  of  child  marriage  registered  under  PCMA,  2006  during  the years 2020, 2021 and 2022.

| SL   | State/UT          | 2020 No. of                                               | 2021                                                      | 2022 No. of                                               |
|------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| SL   | State/UT          | Incidences/Cases No. of Incidences/Cases Incidences/Cases | Incidences/Cases No. of Incidences/Cases Incidences/Cases | Incidences/Cases No. of Incidences/Cases Incidences/Cases |
| 1    | Andhra Pradesh    | 32                                                        | 19                                                        | 26                                                        |
| 2    | Arunachal Pradesh | 0                                                         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         |
| 3    | Assam             | 138                                                       | 155                                                       | 163                                                       |
| 4    | Bihar             | 5                                                         | 11                                                        | 13                                                        |
| 5    | Chhattisgarh      | 1                                                         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         |
| 6    | Goa               | 0                                                         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         |
| 7    | Gujarat           | 15                                                        | 12                                                        | 9                                                         |
| 8    | Haryana           | 33                                                        | 33                                                        | 37                                                        |
| 9    | Himachal Pradesh  | 5                                                         | 5                                                         | 4                                                         |
| 10   | Jharkhand         | 3                                                         | 4                                                         | 5                                                         |
| 11   | Karnataka         | 184                                                       | 273                                                       | 215                                                       |
| 12   | Kerala            | 8                                                         | 12                                                        | 6                                                         |
| 13   | Madhya Pradesh    | 5                                                         | 4                                                         | 7                                                         |
| 14   | Maharashtra       | 50                                                        | 82                                                        | 99                                                        |
| 15   | Manipur           | 0                                                         | 2                                                         | 1                                                         |
| 16   | Meghalaya         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         |
| 17   | Mizoram           | 0                                                         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         |
| 18   | Nagaland          | 0                                                         | 0                                                         | 0                                                         |
| 19   | Odisha            | 24                                                        | 64                                                        | 46                                                        |

<!-- image -->

| 20   | Punjab                      |   13 |    8 |    4 |
|------|-----------------------------|------|------|------|
| 21   | Rajasthan                   |    3 |   11 |   10 |
| 22   | Sikkim                      |    0 |    0 |    0 |
| 23   | Tamil Nadu                  |   77 |  169 |  155 |
| 24   | Telangana                   |   60 |   57 |   53 |
| 25   | Tripura                     |    4 |    1 |    2 |
| 26   | Uttar Pradesh               |   12 |    6 |   17 |
| 27   | Uttarakhand                 |    9 |   12 |    6 |
| 28   | West Bengal                 |   98 |  105 |  121 |
|      | TOTAL STATE(S)              |  779 | 1045 |  999 |
| 29   | A&N Islands                 |    0 |    0 |    0 |
| 30   | Chandigarh                  |    1 |    0 |    0 |
| 31   | D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu+ |    0 |    0 |    0 |
| 32   | Delhi                       |    4 |    2 |    1 |
| 33   | Jammu & Kashmir*            |    1 |    2 |    2 |
| 34   | Ladakh                      |    0 |    0 |    0 |
| 35   | Lakshadweep                 |    0 |    0 |    0 |
| 36   | Puducherry                  |    0 |    1 |    0 |
|      | TOTAL UT(S)                 |    6 |    5 |    3 |
|      | TOTAL (ALL INDIA)           |  785 | 1050 | 1002 |

Source: Crime in India *****