Chandigarh, Jun 30 (PTI) Punjab Social Security Minister Baljit Kaur on Monday said that a total of 58 child marriages have been successfully prevented in the last 15 months.
She said that 42 child marriages were averted by timely action of the department from January 2024 to December 2024, while 16 more cases were stopped between January 2025 and March 2025.
The minister said the Punjab government is making continuous efforts to eradicate the social evil of child marriage from the state.
The government's proactive interventions and sustained awareness drives have started delivering encouraging results in this direction, she added.
Reiterating that child marriage is a serious social malpractice, Kaur said stringent preventive measures are being undertaken to eliminate this tradition from the state.
She informed that a dedicated Child Helpline 1098, through which any citizen can confidentially report incidents of child marriage, child abuse or exploitation, is functional round-the-clock in Punjab.
The minister said the informant's identity is kept completely confidential to further strengthen community participation.
An information regarding such incidents can also be immediately shared with principals of the senior secondary government schools of the respective villages and the child development project officers (CDPOs), who have been designated as child marriage prohibition officers (CMPOs), to ensure prompt action.
Kaur emphasized that any parents or individuals involved in conducting or promoting child marriage are liable for strict legal action as per the law.
She asserted that childhood is meant for building a child's future and marrying them at a young age amounts to tampering with their prospects -- an act that will not be tolerated in any form.
The minister further said the government is launching special awareness campaigns during wedding seasons to prevent child marriages.
These campaigns will soon be initiated at both district and village levels to ensure strict prevention of such cases, she added.
The minister appealed to teachers, ASHA workers, sarpanches and NGOs to make the citizens aware to cooperate with the government in eliminating child marriage from society and contribute towards building a progressive and safe Punjab for every child.