Guwahati: Assam government is determined to eliminate the child marriage menace by 2026 from the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told Assembly on Monday.
CM Sarma, while replying to a question by Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, said, “The Assam government has taken a series of measures to stop child marriages.”
“Child marriage must be stopped in Assam by 2026. To put an end to it, our government will take decisive measures in the coming days,” he continued.
Sarma further said that the state government has set aside Rs 200 crore in this budget to oppose each case of child marriage. There will be a mission against child marriages.
“We will start a campaign against child marriage in the state, and we will make arrests around once every two to three months. A helpline will be set up. Thus far, charge sheets were given in 900 cases and the police followed the law,” said the Assam CM.
He added that his government had taken steps to spread awareness against child marriages.
“Our government will strive towards the victim’s rehabilitation by offering scholarships, free schooling, and free rice programmes,” Sarma added.