Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida Saturday said that 12 of the state’s 30 districts registered a higher rate of child marriage ratio in comparison to the national average.
Parida said this in the assembly while replying to a written question by BJP member Amar Kumar Nayak.
While the average child marriage ratio of Odisha is 20.5 per cent, which is much below the national average of 23.3 per cent, the situation in a dozen districts in the state poses serious concern, she said.
The deputy CM said the districts with high child marriage incidents were identified as Nabarangpur (39.4 per cent), Nayagarh (35.7), Koraput (35.5), Rayagada (33.2), Malkangiri (32.4), Mayurbhanj (31.3), Keonjhar (29), Gajapati (28.1), Balasore (26.4), Boudh (25.3), Angul (25) and Dhenkanal (23.7).
Parida identified five major factors – social customs and traditional beliefs, gender-based discrimination, poverty, social insecurity and lack of education among adolescent girls – significantly contributing to child marriage in the state.
She also elaborated on the measures taken by the state government to prevent such practice, which include intensifying awareness campaigns, strengthening educational outreach, and implementing community-level interventions and others.