Kanigiri: ‘People’s representatives play key role in preventing child marriages’
Kanigiri MLA Burra Madhusudan Yadav and APSCRPC member Batthula Padmavathi at an awareness meeting on prohibition of child marriages in Kanigiri on Monday
Kanigiri (Prakasam district) : Kanigiri MLA Burra Madhusudan Yadav and Andhra Pradesh State Child Rights Protection Commission member Batthula Padmavathi stated that public representatives play a key role in controlling and eradicating child marriages from society.
AP State Child Rights Protection Commission and State Women Development and Child Welfare Department organised an awareness programme for the public representatives in the Assembly constituency on the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act 2006 and GO MS No 13 at MPDO Office in Kanigiri on Monday.
Burra Madhusudan Yadav, the chief guest at programme, said that performing child marriages is a social evil, and everyone in society should involve in ending the process. He said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has brought changes in education system, to protect child rights and offered Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena and Vasati Deevena to help the girl children continue their education. He advised the public to perform marriage only after girl completes 18 years and boy completes 21 years.
On creating awareness of the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act 2006 and GO MS No 13, APSCRPC member Padmavathi said that those, who are directly and indirectly involved in performing a child marriage, are punishable with imprisonment of two years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
She said that as per the GO MO 13, the sarpanches are the chairmen of village-level vigilance committee to prevent child marriages and advised them to play an important role. She said that according to the POCSO Act, the groom. who is a major and marries a girl below 14 years of age is punishable with 20 years in jail, and the groom, who marries a girl of age between 16 to 18 years is punishable with 10 years imprisonment.
Kanigiri municipal chairman Shaik Abdul Gaffar, CDPO P Rajani, deputy DMHO Dr Srujana, MPDO Mallikharjun, ZPTCs, MPPs, MPTCs, MEOs, sarpanches, staff from revenue, panchayat, secretariat, education, police, ICDS, MEPMA, DRDA departments and members of voluntary organisations participated in the programme.