This episode of this slew of crackdowns dates back to May 5, 2022, when the Health Ministry released the fifth report of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), carried out in 2019 and 2020.
It was found in the report that 31.8 per cent of women in Assam between 20-24 age were married at a minor age or before 18 years. This was even higher than the national average of 23.3 percent.
As per the government, child marriage leads to teenage pregnancy in women causing maternal deaths in the state.
In a bid to reduce these numbers, a State cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of CM Sarma, where the key issue of ‘child marriage’ was discussed and it was decided to begin a major drive soon across the State in this regard.
As per the Assam government, the key decisions taken following the cabinet meeting include, reducing Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate and preventing child marriages in rural areas.