GUNTUR: Guntur District Collector A Thameem Ansariya has called for transforming the district into a child marriage free zone, urging all departments to work in coordination and encouraging public participation in the effort.
She said parents must understand the consequences of child marriages and stressed that a society free from such practices can progress faster.
The Collector chaired a district-level committee meeting on Thursday at the Collectorate to review the 100-day awareness campaign under the Balya Vivaha Mukta Bharat (BVMB) initiative.
Speaking at the meeting, she instructed officials to intensify awareness programmes, particularly in areas where child marriages are more prevalent. She emphasised the need to analyse the social and economic factors driving child marriages and to identify obstacles hindering their prevention.
The Collector said children and their parents must be made aware of the importance of education, higher studies, and career opportunities. She stressed focusing on adolescent girls and utilising the services of women police personnel.
She also directed officials to provide counselling at the school level on education and employment opportunities to inspire children and promote women’s empowerment. She instructed departments to prepare a detailed schedule for the 100-day campaign.
ICDS Project Director P Prasoon said the government had issued G.O. Nos 31 and 39 to strengthen child marriage prevention mechanisms, with committees functioning from ward level to district level.