Maharashtra has written to the Rajasthan government to study its practice of mentioning the dates of birth of both the bride and groom on wedding invitation cards.
Printing DOB mandatory on wedding cards!: The Maharashtra government is considering taking major steps to prevent child marriage in the state. Women and Child Development minister Aditi Tatkare said on Wednesday.
‘The state aims to bring the incidence of the illegal practice of child marriages below 10 per cent within the next 5 years,‘ said Aditi Tatkare, replying to a question raised by BJP member Atul Bhatkhalkar in the legislative assembly. The minister noted a positive decline in the state’s child marriage prevalence- down to 19.6% in 2023-24 from 21.9% in 2019-21. Which is outperforming the latest national average of approximately 20.1%.
Maharashtra has written to the Rajasthan government to study its practice of mentioning the dates of birth of both the bride and groom on wedding invitation cards. The Maharashtra government will examine the feasibility of adopting a similar mechanism in consultation with the rural development and the law and judiciary departments, she said.
The minister informed the House that district action forces headed by collectors, village protection committees and committees at the taluka and gram panchayat levels are actively working to curb child marriages and are being further strengthened. Six districts have been identified for special attention, with migration emerging as a key factor behind child marriages, particularly in Beed and other Marathwada districts, where families migrate for sugarcane-cutting work, she said. During the discussion, Bhatkhalkar sought details of action taken against persons involved in child marriages and questioned the timing of the state’s request to Rajasthan regarding its model for checking child marriages.
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