Maharashtra: 15,253 teenage mothers found in 16 tribal districts in three years, says Mangal Prabhat Lodha

Mangal Prabhat Lodha. File Pic

The Maharashtra government has come across 15,253 adolescent mothers in the past three years in 16 tribal-dominated districts of the state, Woman and Child Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha told the Legislative Council on Tuesday.

The minister was responding to a question on child marriages, which is a crime in India.

In a written reply, Lodha said, "In 16 tribal districts in Maharashtra, the number of pregnant girls aged less than 18 years was found to be 15,253 (in past three years). The department has set up a three-member committee to gather this information."

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When asked whether the state had reported more than 15,000 child marriages in the last three years and if it could prevent even 10 per cent of it, Lodha in his written reply said it was "partially" true.

The minister said child marriage is a part of the traditions in certain tribes due to it becomes difficult to identify such cases.

The minister admitted that according to the National Family Health Survey, Maharashtra has reported more incidents of child marriage than Kerala.

Between 2019 and 2021, Lodha said, 152 criminal cases have been filed under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of which 136 are in court.

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