Kolkata, 19 February (H.S.) : In a significant move to take the fight against child marriage to the grassroots level, West Bengal’s Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Minister Shashi Panja flagged off the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ from Kolkata. The mobile awareness campaign will travel across villages and towns in the state until March 8, spreading messages against child marriage.

The initiative is part of the nationwide campaign led by Just Rights for Children (JRC), a leading child rights network working with over 250 NGO partners across more than 450 districts. The Rath is equipped with awareness posters, loudspeakers, and a pledge-signing board to engage communities directly. While four-wheelers will cover major roads, remote villages with limited connectivity will be reached through motorcycles and cycle caravans.

Addressing the launch, Shashi Panja reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ending child marriage, highlighting the role of schemes like Kanyashree Prakalpa in promoting girls’ education and preventing early marriages. “These initiatives generate awareness at the community level and help move West Bengal closer to becoming a child marriage-free state,” she said.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation Councillor Pooja Panja was also present at the event. The programme was organized by the BITAN Institute for Training, Awareness and Networking, a partner of JRC actively engaged in child rights advocacy.

According to the National Family Health Survey V (2019–21), West Bengal has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the country. To address this, the state government runs incentive-based schemes such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, providing scholarships to support girls’ education, and Rupashree Prakalpa, offering one-time financial assistance for marriage expenses.

The Rath will engage with panchayats, schools, religious institutions, and gram sabhas along its route, using street plays, cultural programs, and survivor stories to educate communities about the dangers of child marriage. The campaign will culminate on International Women’s Day on March 8.

JRC and affiliated organizations reported that in the past year alone, nearly 198,628 child marriages were prevented across India, including 11,938 cases in West Bengal. The campaign aims to eradicate child marriage in the state by 2030.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh