BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has decided to grant more powers to the panchayat executive officers (PEOs) and wardens or matrons of residential schools in a bid to strengthen the fight against the practice of child marriage in different parts of the state.
The PEOs will now be designated as child marriage prohibition officers (CMPOs) at the gram panchayat level and take action for preventing marriages of minor boys and girls.
Similarly, at the school-level, wardens or matrons of residential hostels under ST and SC Development and School and Mass Education departments will be given the responsibility.
The move had found mention in the 100-day action plan of the Women and Child Development department. Currently, the district child protection officers (DCPOs) act as CMPOs.
The decision to empower PEOs was taken at an inter-departmental meeting on the issues chaired by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja recently.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act mandates every state to appoint or designate an officer as CMPO in every district who will be responsible for preventing such weddings, collecting evidence for prosecution of people violating the Act and sensitising the community on the issue of child marriage.
As per the NFHS-5, the percentage of boys marrying before attaining the legal age of 21 has increased to 13.3 per cent from 11 per cent in NFHS-4. This percentage is higher at 14.8 in rural Odisha compared to 7.8 per cent in urban parts of the state.
The meeting also decided to include a chapter on child marriage and its ills in the school curriculum. The School and Mass Education department has been asked to incorporate a chapter to create awareness among students.
