Bhubaneswar, February 15: Child marriages continue to be a significant issue in Odisha, despite the government's ongoing efforts to eliminate the practice. Over the past six years, the state has documented a troubling total of 8,159 child marriages, according to official government data.
In response to an inquiry in the Assembly, Odisha's Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Pravati Parida, informed that Nabarangpur district has recorded the highest number of child marriage cases, with 1,347 incidents. Ganjam district follows closely with 966 cases, while Koraput district has reported 636 instances. These figures highlight the alarming scale of the problem in these areas.
In addition to addressing child marriage, Odisha is also battling the issue of child labour. Authorities have rescued 328 children from forced labour during the same period. Both challenges reflect the ongoing socio-economic struggles in the state.
