Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai’s resolution – Chhattisgarh will be free of child marriage by 2028-29
Raipur. Raipur. Chhattisgarh has achieved a historic milestone under the “Child Marriage Free India” national campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 27, 2024. Balod district has become the first district in the country to be officially declared child marriage-free. All 436 gram panchayats and nine urban bodies in Balod district have been duly issued certificates.
Balod becomes a national example
In the past two years, not a single case of child marriage has been reported from Balod district. After document verification and completion of the legal process, all panchayats and urban bodies in the district have now been declared child marriage-free. With this unprecedented achievement, Balod district has become a role model for the entire country. Balod District Collector Divya Umesh Mishra stated that this achievement is the result of the collective participation of the administration, public representatives, Anganwadi workers, and the community. She also thanked all the panchayats and urban bodies for their active support in this endeavor.
75 Gram Panchayats in Surajpur Also Child Marriage-Free
On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, 75 Gram Panchayats in Surajpur district were declared child marriage-free. No child marriage cases have been reported in these panchayats in the past two years. The state government has described this as a historic achievement towards social reform.
Eradication of child marriage is not just a government campaign, but a pledge for social change – Chief Minister Sai
Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai stated that the Chhattisgarh government has given top priority to eradicating child marriage. “Our goal is to declare the entire state child marriage-free in a phased manner by 2028-29. This is not just a government campaign, but a pledge for social change,” he said. Chief Minister Sai stated that the process of declaring panchayats and urban bodies child marriage-free in other districts has been expedited. Certificates will soon be issued in districts where no child marriage cases have been reported in the past two years.
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Elimination of child marriage made possible by partnership between society and government: Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade
Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade described this achievement as an inspiration not only for Chhattisgarh but for the entire country. She said that this achievement in Balod proves that if society and government work together, the evil practice of child marriage can be eradicated. Surajpur’s achievement is also a strong step in this direction. UNICEF’s support has also been crucial in this campaign. The organization helped strengthen technical support, awareness programs, and monitoring mechanisms.
This initiative in Chhattisgarh is being considered a milestone at the national level. This achievement will serve as an inspiration for other states in accelerating the “Child Marriage Free India Campaign.” Experts believe that if community participation and education are centralized along Chhattisgarh’s lines, the complete eradication of child marriage from the country is possible. The state government is now preparing to make other districts child marriage-free in a phased manner. The target of making entire Chhattisgarh child marriage free by 2028-29 will take not only the state but the country closer to the resolution of a child marriage free India.
