Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: Tripura has recorded significant progress in its fight against child marriage, with authorities successfully preventing 9,982 such cases during the 2025-26 financial year, Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Agartala, Roy credited the achievement to the combined efforts of district administrations, law enforcement agencies, local self-governments and child protection institutions. He said the growing number of interventions reflects stronger coordination among stakeholders working to safeguard children’s rights across the state.
While highlighting the success, the minister acknowledged that child marriage remains a persistent social challenge in certain pockets of Tripura, particularly in Sonamura subdivision of Sepahijala district and Kailashahar in Unakoti district. He noted that multiple agencies, including Child Welfare Committees, the Tripura Child Rights Commission and several non-governmental organisations, continue to conduct awareness campaigns and preventive actions to address the issue.
Roy also reviewed developments in the state’s Anganwadi network, stating that electricity has now been provided to more than 3,000 centres out of the nearly 10,000 operating across Tripura. The government aims to extend power connectivity to the remaining facilities during the current financial year to improve service delivery and learning conditions.
In another key initiative, the state has introduced English-medium instruction in around 100 Anganwadi centres that previously used Bengali-medium educational materials. The move was undertaken following requests from parents who sought better academic opportunities for their children.
According to the minister, the transition is expected to ease the admission process for students seeking entry into Vidyajyoti Schools by helping them adapt to English-language education at an early stage.
Tripura continues to face challenges related to child marriage, a concern shared by several other states where prevalence rates remain above the national average. State authorities, however, expressed confidence that sustained intervention, awareness programmes and community participation will further reduce the incidence of the practice in the coming years.