Himanta Biswa Sarma: 64 per cent drop in teenage pregnancies from April 2022 to June 2024

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to X on July 19 to highlight the success of the state’s vigorous campaign against child marriage. According to Sarma's post, the initiative has significantly impacted societal norms and improved health outcomes for girls.

The Chief Minister revealed a substantial decrease in teenage pregnancies over the past two years. In April 2022, there were 9,330 reported cases of teenage pregnancies. By June 2024, this number had dropped to 3,401, showcasing a noteworthy reduction of nearly 64 per cent.

Sarma expressed pride in the progress achieved and reaffirmed the government's commitment to continuing the mission with relentless dedication. "Our rigorous mission against #ChildMarriage is not only bringing a societal change but also enabling a healthy life for our girls," Sarma stated.

Earlier on July 18 , Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government would continue its crackdown on child marriages and a special drive against the social evil would be conducted every six months.
    
He said the director general of police (DGP) has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next round of crackdown on child marriages towards the year-end.
   
 Sarma's comments come after an NGO report on Wednesday maintained that the state government's action against child marriage has led to a decline in the number of such cases.
    
"Our campaign and tough action against child marriage will continue. Every six months a special drive will be conducted, and the DGP has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next crackdown on child marriages in November-December this year," the CM said in a video message on Wednesday evening.
    
Initially, some people were "not happy with the crackdown against child marriages, but now people are preventing the social evil, even in minority areas," he said.
    
Sarma said the data of the India Child Protection (ICP) report is a "testament to our sustained efforts in empowering Nari Shakti (women power)".