Govt ensures steps to prevent child marriages

BHOPAL: Like every year, Madhya Pradesh government will ensure efforts to prevent child marriages on Akshaya Tritiya on May 13. The state government is conducting Lado Abhiyan to prevent child marriages throughout the year. Orders have already been issued to all the district collectors to ensure strict action in this regard. In letters sent to collectors, their attention has been drawn to the dates on which large number of mass marriages are solemnised. These include Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej on May 13 this year. On this day, few child marriages are also solemnised in the garb of mass marriages. District administration's alertness and strict steps initiated by it can prevent child marriages. People's representatives and NGOs have also been made partners in this important campaign for preventing child marriages. The government has asked the collectors to make arrangements in their respective districts to ensure that no child marriage takes place in any case. For this, cooperation of those influential people or groups should be sought who play important role in marriage programmes.

Effective publicity should be ensured about the message to common people regarding disadvantages of marriage at tender age. Collectors have also been directed to seek media's assistance regarding it.