Empowering Girls,Protecting Childhoods: Maharashtra’s 100-Day Drive

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In a bold move to combat rising cases of child marriage, Maharashtra has launched a 100-day awareness and enforcement campaign across districts. Spearheaded by Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, the initiative mobilizes grassroots workers and surveillance tools to root out the practice, especially during the post-Diwali wedding season.

Maharashtra has rolled out an aggressive campaign to eliminate child marriage, a regressive practice that continues to surface in pockets of the state despite being outlawed under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The initiative, led by Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, comes in response to alarming data from her home district of Raigad, where 21 cases were registered in the first nine months of 2025—up from just five in 2024.

Timed strategically with the onset of the traditional wedding season post-Diwali, the state’s 100-day action plan aims to raise awareness, strengthen enforcement, and build community vigilance. The campaign will leverage the extensive networks of Asha and Anganwadi workers to identify vulnerable households, educate communities, and report suspected cases.

Key Highlights:

- Surge in Cases: Raigad district saw a sharp rise in child marriage cases, with 21 reported in 2025 so far, compared to just seven in 2023 and five in 2024.

- 100-Day Action Plan: The campaign will run for 100 days, focusing on awareness drives, community engagement, and enforcement across all districts.

- Grassroots Mobilization: Asha and Anganwadi workers will be frontline agents, tasked with identifying risk zones, conducting outreach, and reporting violations.

- Seasonal Timing: The initiative coincides with the post-Diwali wedding season, a period when child marriages tend to spike due to cultural and economic pressures.

- Legal Framework: The campaign reinforces the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, which criminalizes marriages involving girls under 18 and boys under 21.

- District-Level Action: Hingoli and Nashik districts have also developed localized action plans, including regular sonography center inspections and community sensitization programs.

Conclusion:

Maharashtra’s crackdown on child marriage reflects a renewed commitment to child rights and gender justice. By combining legal enforcement with grassroots awareness, the state hopes to reverse troubling trends and ensure safer futures for its youth.

Sources: MSN News, Hindustan Times, Hingoli District Administration, Sakal News.