District Collector Sumit Kumar reviewing the enforcement drive against child marriages at at the ZP office conference hall in Chittoor on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
Collector Sumit Kumar on Wednesday called for extensive awareness drives to eradicate the menace of child marriage across Chittoor district.
Reviewing the enforcement drive against child marriages at the ZP office conference hall, the Collector said that village-level prohibition and monitoring committees must meet regularly, and mandal officers should continuously track their functioning and ensure follow-up.
The Collector highlighted awareness campaigns through Self Help Groups (SHGs) and gram sabhas and sensitising students in schools and junior colleges about the adverse consequences of child marriage. “One period every week should be devoted to moral values, child protection and preventive measures,” Mr. Sumit Kumar said.
He directed capacity-building training on GO MS No.31 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act for the field staff and stakeholders, in addition to training village committees on their preventive role. School dropouts must be closely monitored and re-enrolled, he said.
Posters on penal provisions under the PCMA and POCSO Acts and Child helpline 1098 should be displayed prominently in educational institutions and public places to enhance awareness, the Collector informed.
Published – October 07, 2026 07:10 pm IST
