Parliament Question: Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 635 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026 BAL VIVAH MUKT BHARAT 635. SHRI ASHOKRAO SHANKARRAO CHAVAN: Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has launched the “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat” initiative/pledge with the objective of reducing child marriage prevalence by 10 percent by 2026 and make India child marriage free by 2030; (b) if so, the steps taken/being taken to create awareness and encourage citizens, institutions and public representatives to take Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat pledge; (c) whether Government has launched a high intensity 100 day special drive/ programme against child marriage in the country; and (d) if so, the measures taken/ being taken to strengthen enforcement of existing laws and to ensure effective rehabilitation, education and empowerment of girls rescued from child marriage? ANSWER MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI) (a) to (c): The Government of India launched the national campaign ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat on 27th November 2024, with the objective of making India child-marriage-free. It is one of the most important imperatives to promote education, skilling, enterprise and entrepreneurship among girls and women to realise the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ through ‘whole of government’ and ‘whole of society’ approach. The campaign aims to create awareness for prevention of child marriage, enhance involvement of parents, families, and communities, strengthen the role and capacity of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), encourage timely reporting of child marriage cases, and identify adolescent girls who are school dropouts or at risk of child marriage to ensure their education, skilling, and empowerment.To commemorate the success of the campaign and further intensify efforts, a 100 Days Special Campaign under Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat was launched on 4th December 2025 to mobilise all stakeholders in a structured and time-bound manner. The 100 Days Special Campaign focuses on targeted outreach to institutions, community leaders and service provider, along with mandatory uploading of details of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) on the BVMB Portal. The campaign follows a spell-wise thematic implementation plan. Spell–I (27th November, 2025 to 31st December, 2025) focuses on sensitisation activities in schools, colleges and universities through debates, essay competitions and pledge ceremonies. Spell–II (1st January, 2026 to 31st January, 2026) focuses on engagement with religious institutions and marriage- related service providers, including temples, mosques, caterers, tent houses and DJs, to discourage child marriage and display IEC materials. Spell–III (1st February, 2026 to 8th March, 2026) focuses on mobilisation of Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards for passing resolutions declaring their jurisdictions as 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. Citizens, institutions, and public representatives can take the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat pledge on the dedicated portal as well as through the MyGov portal, promoting wide participation. As on date, awareness programmes have reached over 6 crore citizens, and more than 28 lakh pledges against child marriage have been registered on the portals, reflecting strong community engagement and active participation across the country. (d): The campaign strengthens enforcement of the ‘The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA)’ by building the capacity of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), police officials, child protection committees, ASHAs, ANMs, and other duty bearers for immediate response to complaints. The BVMB portal serves as a centralised repository of more than 60,700 CMPOs across States and Union Territories, providing citizens with an efficient reporting mechanism, where early reporting enables timely intervention to prevent child marriages. The Central Government also undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns, and outreach programs, and issues advisories to States and UTs from time to time to highlight the harmful effects of child marriage. Under the umbrella of Mission Shakti, MWCD implements the BetiBachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) component, which focuses on creating awareness about gender equality and discouraging child marriage. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) undertakes awareness programs and consultations with stakeholders, while the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), through its State and District arms, creates awareness about the ill-effects of child marriage, issues Standard Operating Procedures for effective prevention, and provides free legal aid through its helpline 15100. In addition, Government of India has introduced Child Helpline with short code 1098, a toll- free 24X7X365 telephone emergency outreach service for children in crisis which responds with suitable interventions to call for any form of assistance which a child requires, including for prevention of child marriages, in coordination with police, CMPOs, District Child Protection Units etc. The Child Helpline has also been integrated with Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) to provide for 24x7x365 emergency response, resources and services. In addition, the services of Women Helpline (181), which is integrated with the ERSS is also available round the clock to provide emergency and non- emergency assistance. *****