Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced the state’s goal of eliminating child marriage by 2026, with the launch of the second phase of the Nijut Moina scheme on Wednesday.
This initiative aims to support over 4 lakh girls, enabling them to continue their education and prevent early marriages.
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In his post on X (formerly Twitter), CM Sarma said, “Our biggest anti-child marriage effort is gaining momentum. Nijut Moina 2.0 will assist over 4 lakh girls in avoiding child marriage and pursuing their dreams. We are committed to reducing child marriage to ZERO by 2026.”
Nijut Moina 2.0 builds on the first phase of the girls’ empowerment scheme, which began in 2024. The expanded program will now cover 4 lakh school and college-going girls, offering financial support to help them remain in education rather than being pushed into marriage.
Child marriage has long been a problem in rural Assam, particularly in districts like Dhubri, Barpeta, and Morigaon, where high rates of underage marriages have been reported.
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Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) revealed that nearly 30% of marriages in these areas involved girls aged 14 to 17. However, these numbers are now on the decline.
In February 2023, CM Sarma’s government launched an unprecedented crackdown on child marriage.
Within just 48 hours, more than 3,000 people—including parents, religious leaders, and officials- were arrested for their role in facilitating child marriages.
By the end of 2023, the total number of arrests had surpassed 5,000.
The impact has been significant, with a 54% reduction in child marriages and a 63% decline in teen pregnancies by mid-2025.
CM Sarma proudly shared that nearly 30% of Assam’s villages had not reported a single case of child marriage in over a year.
The first phase of Nijut Moina provided financial support to girls in Classes 11 and beyond, with the condition that they remain unmarried and attend school regularly.
Over 2 lakh girls benefited from the scheme in its first year, and dropout rates in high-risk areas began to fall.
Nijut Moina 2.0 now expands to reach even more girls, with ?1,500 crore allocated for the next four years.
The goal is not just to provide financial support but to change societal perceptions, ensuring that girls are seen as students, not brides.
In rural Assam, child marriage has often been driven by poverty, lack of awareness, limited education opportunities, and cultural practices.
Families sometimes push girls into marriage after they finish Class 10, believing it is their only option. In some communities, early marriage is still wrongly seen as a form of protection or honor.
At a meeting in New Delhi in May 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Assam as a national model in the fight against child marriage, pointing to an 81% reduction in underage marriages across 20 of the state’s 35 districts in just two years.
In 2024, Assam passed a new law requiring the registration of all Muslim marriages and setting the legal marriage age at 18 for girls and 21 for boys, closing loopholes that had allowed child marriages under customary law.
Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, a child rights activist, commended Assam’s efforts during a visit in 2025.
He called child marriage a form of child abuse and urged greater community involvement in rejecting the practice.
Assam’s fight against child marriage is about more than just laws and arrests. It’s about creating opportunities for girls to stay in school, delaying marriage, and building brighter futures.
With the support of Nijut Moina 2.0, the state hopes to create a lasting change where girls study longer, marry later, and make their own choices.
The countdown to 2026 has begun, and if Assam succeeds, it could emerge as the first state in India to fully eradicate child marriage.