Bhubaneswar, February 21 Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Saturday said that 12 of the state's 30 districts have a higher rate of child marriage compared to the national average.
Parida made this statement in the assembly while responding to a written question from BJP member Amar Kumar Nayak.
While the average child marriage rate in Odisha is 20.5%, which is significantly lower than the national average of 23.3%, the situation in a dozen districts in the state is a serious concern, she said.
The Deputy CM identified the districts with high incidents of child marriage as Nabarangpur (39.4%), Nayagarh (35.7%), Koraput (35.5%), Rayagada (33.2%), Malkangiri (32.4%), Mayurbhanj (31.3%), Keonjhar (29), Gajapati (28.1%), Balasore (26.4%), Boudh (25.3%), Angul (25), and Dhenkanal (23.7).
Parida identified five major factors – social customs and traditional beliefs, gender-based discrimination, poverty, social insecurity, and lack of education among adolescent girls – as significantly contributing to child marriage in the state.
She also elaborated on the measures taken by the state government to prevent this practice, which include intensified awareness campaigns, strengthened educational outreach programs, and community-level interventions.