Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Saturday said that 12 of the state’s 30 districts have recorded child marriage rates that exceed the national average.
Parida revealed these findings in the state assembly in response to a written inquiry from BJP member Amar Kumar Nayak.
While Odisha’s overall average child marriage ratio stands at 20.5 per cent —notably lower than the national average of 23.3 per cent —the Deputy CM emphasised that the situation in a dozen specific districts remains a matter of serious concern.
According to the data provided by the deputy CM, the districts with the highest incidence rates are: Nabarangpur (39.4 per cent), Nayagarh (35.7), Koraput (35.5), Rayagada (33.2), Malkangiri (32.4), Mayurbhanj (31.3), Keonjhar (29), Gajapati (28.1), Balasore (26.4), Boudh (25.3), Angul (25) and Dhenkanal (23.7).
Parida identified five primary factors driving these statistics in the state: ingrained social customs and traditional beliefs, gender-based discrimination, poverty, social insecurity, and a lack of education among adolescent girls.
She further elaborated on the government’s strategic response to combat the practice. These measures include intensifying public awareness campaigns, strengthening educational outreach programs, and implementing targeted community-level interventions to protect vulnerable minors.
