Assam government to abolish child marriage by 2026: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

According to the POSCO Act, if someone feels attracted to a girl aged below 16 years old would be convicted of having committed an offence under this Act, said CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today asserted that child marriage will be wiped out completely from Assam by 2026.

Replying to a question from Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha during Question Hour in the ongoing Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, CM Sarma briefed the Assembly about the measures the government is taking to tackle the menace of child marriage as well as the usage of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POSCO) Act in this regard.

CM Sarma stated that as decided by the cabinet, the state government has designated gaon panchayat secretaries as child marriage prohibition officers under the provisions of Section 16 of “The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.”

The Chief Minister said that the state government in the state budget 2023-24 has allocated Rs 200 crore for it with a target of making Assam free of incident of child marriage by the end of 2026 because the government want to see everybody convicted.

Adding that a helpline number will also be launched where victims of child marriage can file their grievances and the government will also work towards the rehabilitation of the girls who are the victim of child marriage by providing scholarships, free education, free rice schemes, he said, “We have so far charge sheeted 900 cases and have acted as per law.”

According to the POSCO Act, if someone feels attracted to a girl aged below 16 years old would be convicted of having committed any offence under this Act and it is not up to the police or the government to decide whether the POSCO Act will go into effect. Police are duty bound, said CM Sarma.

To marry a minor girl and make a sexual relationship with her is a crime under POSCO Act, said CM Sarma.

Also Read: Child marriage: Assam Police’s massive crackdown from today

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