Parliament Question: Implementation and Assesment of Central Schemes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2453 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026 IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT OF CENTRAL SCHEMES 2453. SHRI TARIQ ANWAR: Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state: (a) whether any study is available with the Government regarding the current status of child marriage and sex ratio in Bihar including the Seemanchal region (Boderland) based on data obtained from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) and other reliable sources, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether these social evils are still present at concerning levels in the said areas; (c) if so, the reasons therefor; (d) the details of assessment conducted by the Government regarding the implementation and efficacy of central schemes such as 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' in addressing these challenges; and (e) the details of the special measures being taken to enhance the reach and impact of the said schemes particularly in sensitive areas like Seemanchal region? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR) (a) to (e): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the data on the number of cases of child marriage registered under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006 in its publication 'Crime in India'. The said report is available upto the year 2023 – Crime Head Wise and State and UT-wise. As per information available with NCRB, the number of cases registered under PCMA in the State of Bihar during the year 2023 is 13. The Government of India has enacted ‘The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006’ (PCMA) to prevent and curb child marriages and to take punitive action against those associated with the solemnisation of child marriages. 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 (CMPO)' 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 directadministrative control and supervision of respective State Governments and UT Administrations. Further, to strengthen implementation of the Act and accelerate progress towards elimination of child marriage, the Government launched a 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 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 11.02.2026, awareness programmes have reached over 7.75 crore citizens, and more than 31.75 lakh pledges against child marriage have been registered on the portal, reflecting strong community engagement and active participation across the country. The BVMB portal serves as a centralised repository of more than 61,900 CMPOs across States and Union Territories with 669 number of CMPOs in the State of Bihar including 9 districts in the Seemanchal region (Araria, Katihar, Kishanganj, Madhubani, Paschim Champaran, Purbi Champaran, Purnia, Sitamarhi and Supaul). This provides citizens with an efficient reporting mechanism, where early reporting enables timely intervention to prevent child marriages. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched on 22nd January 2015 to help address Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of girls and women over a life cycle continuum. BBBP has transformed from a policy initiative into a national movement by mobilizing various stakeholders, including government agencies, communities, media, civil society and the public at large. This movement aims not only to address immediate concerns related to sex ratio and gender-based discrimination but also to foster a cultural shift towards valuing the girl child and ensuring her rights and opportunities. The implementation of thescheme lies with the State Government and UT administration. The district wise Sex Ratio at Birth for the State of Bihar of the Seemanchal region is at Annexure. The BBBP scheme focuses on creating mindset and behavioural changes towards the girl child by informing, influencing, motivating, engaging, and empowering various stakeholders. To address this, Ministry has developed and circulated to all States and UTs, an operational manual which inter-alia includes a thematic calendar for suggested convergence activities at district level with month wise specific themes for holistic development of the Girl Child and to ensure year-round engagement of girls, their families and communities. NITI Aayog has conducted an evaluation of the schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development for Financial Years 2019 to 2024. The study found that the SAMBAL vertical of Mission Shakti including BBBP is highly relevant and effectively addresses key gender challenges through integrated, data-driven services. *****Annexure ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2453 FOR ANSWER ON 13.02.2026 REGARDING ‘IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT OF CENTRAL SCHEMES’ Sex Ratio at birth in the 9 districts of Seemanchal region of Bihar S.No District 2024-25 1. ARARIA 956 2. KATIHAR 946 3. KISHANGANJ 929 4. MADHUBANI 803 5. PASHCHIM CHAMPARAN 866 6. PURBI CHAMPARAN 891 7. PURNIA 947 8. SITAMARHI 891 9. SUPAUL 939 *****