Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In a strict move to curb child marriages, the Hingoli district administration in Maharashtra has announced that development funds will be withheld from gram panchayats where cases of child marriage are found.
District Collector Rahul Gupta issued the warning, stating that village bodies will be held accountable if underage marriages occur within their jurisdiction. The decision is part of intensified efforts to eliminate the social evil, which continues to persist in parts of the Marathwada region.
To strengthen monitoring, the administration has introduced a tracking mechanism through schools. Authorities have directed that if a girl student remains absent for more than 10 consecutive days, school principals must immediately inform the Women and Child Development Department. Special teams will then investigate to check if the absence is linked to a potential child marriage.
Officials highlighted that the district has already taken proactive steps in preventing such cases. Data shows that 61 child marriages were stopped between April 2025 and March 2026 in the broader region, with legal action initiated in several instances under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. In some cases, victims were provided shelter, while in others, parents were made to give written assurances.
The administration has also stepped up awareness drives, particularly around occasions like Akshay Tritiya, which have traditionally seen a rise in child marriages. Authorities are working closely with local bodies, schools, and welfare departments to create vigilance at the grassroots level.
The latest directive signals a zero-tolerance approach, with officials making it clear that local governance units will face direct financial consequences if they fail to prevent child marriages in their areas.
