Date: 2026-03-13Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Government launched national campaign “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat” on 27th November 2024 with the objective of making India child-marriage-free through a whole of government and whole of society approach
**Executive Summary**
The Government of India launched the "Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat" national campaign on November 27, 2024, aiming to eradicate child marriage through a unified government and societal approach. A 100 Days Special Campaign commenced on December 4, 2025. Child Helpline (1098) offers 24x7 emergency support for children, including those affected by child marriage.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Legal Framework and Enforcement**
* The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA) and the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibit child marriage and child labour and mandate punitive action for violations.
* The District Magistrate is empowered under Section 17A of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, to implement the Act, designating subordinates as District Nodal Officers (DNOs).
* Section 17B mandates periodic inspection and monitoring of the Act's implementation, with the Ministry of Labour and Employment providing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
* Section 16 of the PCMA empowers State Governments to appoint Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) to prevent solemnisation of child marriages, collect evidence, counsel individuals, and raise awareness.
* CMPOs function under the administrative control and supervision of respective State Governments and UT Administrations.
**Campaigns and Initiatives**
* The "Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat" campaign (launched November 27, 2024) focuses on awareness, community mobilisation, empowering CMPOs, encouraging reporting, and identifying at-risk girls.
* A 100 Days Special Campaign (launched December 4, 2025) targets institutions, community leaders, and service providers, mandating CMPO details on the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal.
* Thematic spells of the campaign focus on educational institutions, religious and service providers, and Gram Panchayats/Municipal Wards to declare jurisdictions child-marriage-free.
* The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal facilitates reporting, information dissemination, and pledge registration, with over 66,000 CMPOs listed as of March 9, 2026.
* The "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" (BBBP) component (launched January 22, 2015) addresses gender discrimination and promotes girl child empowerment.
* NCPCR and NALSA conduct awareness campaigns and outreach, with NALSA providing free legal aid via helpline 15100.
**Support Services**
* Child Helpline (1098) provides 24x7 emergency outreach for children in distress, including child marriage cases, in coordination with police, CMPOs, and District Child Protection Units.
* The Child Helpline is integrated with ERSS-112 for round-the-clock emergency response.
* Women Helpline (181) offers emergency and non-emergency assistance.
**Roles and Responsibilities**
* The Ministry of Women and Child Development provides policy and schematic support.
* State Governments and Union Territory Administrations are primarily responsible for prohibiting and preventing child marriages, as 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects.
**Impact Analysis**
**District Magistrates**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, including designating subordinates as District Nodal Officers (DNOs).
* **Action Required:** Ensure effective implementation of the Act and exercise powers within their local limits.
**District Nodal Officers (DNOs)**
* **Impact:** Subordinates designated by District Magistrates to exercise powers within their local limits related to the Act.
* **Action Required:** Carry out the duties assigned by the District Magistrate for the implementation of the Act.
**Ministry of Labour and Employment**
* **Impact:** Issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide enforcement agencies and stakeholders.
* **Action Required:** Ensure the SOP is utilised for effective enforcement.
**State Governments and UT Administrations**
* **Impact:** Authorise CMPOs, directly control and supervise their functioning, and are primarily responsible for prohibiting and preventing child marriages.
* **Action Required:** Appoint CMPOs with specified functions, exercise direct administrative control and supervision, and act against offences under existing law.
**Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs)**
* **Impact:** Appointed by State Governments to prevent child marriages, collect evidence, counsel individuals, and raise awareness. Their details are to be uploaded on the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal.
* **Action Required:** Discharge functions including prevention, evidence collection, counselling, and awareness generation regarding child marriages.
**Enforcement Agencies and Other Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** Guided by the SOP issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. They are involved in awareness campaigns and community mobilisation.
* **Action Required:** Utilise the SOP and participate in enforcement, awareness, and community mobilisation initiatives.
**Citizens**
* **Impact:** Encouraged to participate in awareness programmes, register pledges against child marriage on the portal, and report child marriage incidents.
* **Action Required:** Engage with awareness campaigns, register pledges, and utilise the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal for reporting.
**Children in Distress**
* **Impact:** Can access a 24x7 toll-free emergency outreach service through Child Helpline (1098), including for cases related to child marriage.
* **Action Required:** Utilize Child Helpline (1098) in cases of distress or child marriage.
**Institutions (e.g., Educational Institutions, Religious and Marriage-Related Service Providers)**
* **Impact:** Targeted by campaign spells for engagement and mobilisation.
* **Action Required:** Participate in outreach activities and efforts to declare jurisdictions child-marriage-free.
Key Entities Referenced
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA): The primary law enacted to prohibit child marriage and child labour in India.
Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986: An act that prohibits child marriage and child labour, and outlines enforcement mechanisms.
Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat: A national campaign launched with the objective of making India child-marriage-free.
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The government ministry responsible for policy and schematic support in this domain.
Child Helpline (1098): A 24x7 toll-free emergency outreach service for children in distress, including child marriage cases.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Government launched national campaign “Bal
Vivah Mukt Bharat” on 27th November 2024 with
the objective of making India child-marriage-free
through a whole of government and whole of
society approach
100 Days Special Campaign under the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat
initiative was launched on 4th December 2025
Child Helpline (1098) provides a 24x7 toll-free emergency
outreach service for children in distress, including cases
relating to child marriage
Posted On: 13 MAR 2026 4:09PM by PIB Delhi
The Government of India has enacted The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA) and the Child
and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 to prohibit child marriage and child labour
and to take punitive action against violations.
As per Section 17A of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, powers
and duties are conferred on the District Magistrate for effective implementation of the provisions of the
Act. District Magistrates designate their subordinates as District Nodal Officers (DNOs) for exercising
such powers within their local limits. Further, Section 17B provides for periodic inspection and
monitoring of the implementation of the Act. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has also issued a
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to serve as a ready reckoner for enforcement agencies and other
stakeholders.
Further, Section 16 of the PCMA authorises the State Government to appoint for the whole State, or such
part thereof as may be specified, an officer or officers to be known as the 'Child Marriage Prohibition
Officers (CMPOs)' having jurisdiction over the area or areas specified in the notification. This section also
specifies the functions to be discharged by CMPOs, which include preventing solemnisation of child
marriages by taking such action as they may deem fit; to collect evidence for the effective prosecution of
persons contravening the provisions of the Act; to advise the individuals or counsel the residents of the
locality not to indulge in promoting, helping, aiding or allowing the solemnisation of child marriages; to
create awareness about the ill effects of child marriages; and to sensitize the community on the issue of
child marriages. All these authorities function under the direct administrative control and supervision of
respective State Governments and UT Administrations.To strengthen implementation and accelerate progress towards elimination of child marriage, the
Government launched the national campaign “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat” on 27th November 2024 with the
objective of making India child-marriage-free through a whole of government and whole of society
approach. The campaign focuses on awareness generation, community mobilisation, strengthening the role
and capacity of CMPOs, encouraging timely reporting of cases, and identifying girls at risk of child
marriage to ensure their education, skilling and empowerment.
Further, to commemorate the success and intensify efforts, a 100 Days Special Campaign under the Bal
Vivah Mukt Bharat initiative was launched on 4th December 2025. The campaign includes targeted
outreach to institutions, community leaders and service providers and mandates uploading details of
CMPOs on the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal. The campaign is implemented in thematic spells focusing
on educational institutions, engagement with religious and marriage-related service providers, and
mobilisation of Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards to declare their jurisdictions child-marriage-free.
A dedicated digital platform, the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal (https://stopchildmarriage.wcd.gov.in),
facilitates reporting of child marriage incidents, dissemination of information and registration of pledges.
As on 09.03.2026, awareness programmes have reached over 11.81 crore citizens, and more than 40 lakh
pledges against child marriage have been registered on the portal. The portal also serves as a repository of
over 66,000 CMPOs across States and Union Territories up to Gram Panchayat level, enabling early
reporting and timely intervention.
The Government is also implementing the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) component under Mission
Shakti, launched on 22nd January 2015, which aims to address gender-based discrimination and promote
the empowerment of the girl child. Awareness campaigns and outreach activities are also undertaken by
institutions such as the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National
Legal Services Authority (NALSA), which provides free legal aid through helpline 15100.
In addition, the Child Helpline (1098) provides a 24x7 toll-free emergency outreach service for children in
distress, including cases relating to child marriage, in coordination with police, CMPOs and District Child
Protection Units. The Child Helpline is integrated with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-
112) for round-the-clock emergency response. The Women Helpline (181) is also available to provide
emergency and non-emergency assistance.
Through these legal provisions, enforcement mechanisms, community mobilisation initiatives and
awareness campaigns, the Government, in coordination with States and UTs and other stakeholders, is
pursuing a comprehensive roadmap towards the progressive elimination of child marriage and child labour
in the country.
While the Ministry of Women and Child Development provides policy and schematic support, the
responsibility to prohibit and prevent child marriages lies primarily with the respective State Governments
and Union Territory Administrations, as ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the
Constitution, making them competent to act against such offences under existing law.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Annpurna
Devi in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.
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