The Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cleared the proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years.
Prime Minister Modi during his Independence Day speech in 2020 made a mention of the proposal and said the plan was under review.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Prime Minister Modi had said: “This government is constantly concerned about the health of daughters and sisters. To save the daughters from malnutrition, it is necessary that they’re married at the right age.”
Currently, the minimum age of marriage for men is 21 years but for women, it is 18.
The Modi government is eyeing changes to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act, and the Hindu Marriage Act to bring the plan into action.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The proposal was backed by a NITI Aayog task force, headed by Jaya Jaitly, said a media report.
The task force, which was set up in June last year, comprises top government expert VK Paul, senior officials of the Health Ministry, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Law Ministry as members.
It has been reported that the recommendations on the proposal were submitted in December as the task force emphasized that a woman must be at least 21 years old at the time of first pregnancy.
The task force said the delay in marriages has a positive financial, social, and health impact on families, society, and children.