Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday said the state government is considering introducing a policy that would require couples to register their marriages before the actual ceremony.
The proposed policy aims to prevent child marriages through stricter verification of age and documentation.
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Saha made the statement while addressing an awareness programme under the Drug-Free India Campaign at Gandhigram Higher Secondary School in the Bamutia block.
He said that birth certificates would be made mandatory to ensure that individuals meet the legal age for marriage — 18 years for women and 21 years for men — before registration. The Chief Minister said the proposed step would help create a legal safeguard prior to the conduct of social or religious marriage ceremonies.
Referring to public awareness, Saha said there is a need for collective responsibility in addressing the issue of child marriage. He cited the example of a girl from the minority community who was awarded by the President of India for opposing her own child marriage and called for similar awareness among others.
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During his address, Saha also spoke on the issue of drug abuse in the state. He said that while Tripura did not have significant problems with addiction in the past, the situation had deteriorated over the last four decades.
He said the state government, in coordination with the central government, is working to address the issue through monitoring and enforcement.
The Chief Minister stated that individuals involved in drug trafficking would not be spared and reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy on drugs.
He concluded by highlighting the importance of awareness campaigns in tackling both child marriage and drug abuse in the state.