Odisha has reported at least three such cases every day during the last six years, despite several initiatives taken by the administration, according to government data.
Activists working in this field attribute tribal practice, dowry, migration of labourer families and parents’ fear that daughters may elope to this startling figure.
The data reveals that 8,159 child marriages have taken place across Odisha from 2019 to February 2025. Of them, 1,347 cases have been reported from Nabarangpur, the highest among all 30 districts of Odisha during that period.
While Ganjam district is in the second spot with 966 cases, Koraput comes next with 636. It was followed by Mayurbhanj (594), Rayagada (408), Balasore (361), Keonjhar (328), Kandhamal (308) and Nayagarh (308).
The lowest of 57 such instances have been found in Jharsuguda district in those six years.
Social activist Namrata Chadha said, “Child marriage cannot be fully stopped overnight. We have to create such an environment and society for the girl children and their parents so that they will not take such steps.”
Marrying off underage children is a traditional practice of the tribals, especially for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, she said.
Chadha said parents who usually migrate to other places for livelihood also conduct marriage of their girls before legal age hoping to secure their future and also for her safety as they fear the girl may elope with someone bringing shame to the family.
The social activist said dowry also drives such marriages, as the older the bride, the higher the demand.
“The menace could come to an end if we are able to provide them proper education or skill development training so that they become self-employed… so that they do not think marriage is the only step left for a girl’s future,” Chadha said.
To stop child marriages, the Odisha government has been organising awareness campaigns at panchayat, block and Anganwadi levels every three months, an official said.
The child development project officer, panchayat executive officer, and wardens/matrons of residential hostels have been designated as chief marriage prohibition officers.
Similarly, the heads of all schools and colleges have been designated as chief marriage information officers, the official said.
Besides, the government has been conducting meetings of state-level committees formed under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act every six months.
Alongside underage marriage, the state also grapples with the challenge of child labour.
Over the same six years, the authorities have rescued 328 children working as labourers.
While 85 of them were saved in 2019-20, the figures were four and 43 in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively, the data revealed.
Similarly, 107 child labourers have been rescued from different parts of the state in 2022-23 and 44 the next year.
During the current financial year up to February 15, the authorities have rescued 45 child labourers from different districts of Odisha.
So far, 159 cases have been registered under the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 against those who engage children in work. Besides, a State Action Plan for Elimination of Child Labour is being implemented in coordination with nine departments.
As per the action plan, the rescue operation is being carried out with the help of other departments at the district level. A training programme is being organised for police officers and district labour officers for strict enforcement of the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.
The state government, in support of other stakeholders, also conducts massive awareness campaigns to prohibit child labour in the state, the official said.
