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Minimum age for marriage of girls to go up from 18 to 21; Cabinet passes Bill

This government is constantly concerned about the well-being of its daughters and sisters. According to the prime minister, the girls must marry at a suitable age to avoid famine.

Minimum age for marriage of girls to go up from 18 to 21 Cabinet passes Bill gcw
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New Delhi, First Published Dec 16, 2021, 12:50 PM IST

The proposal to raise the minimum marriage age for women from 18 to 21 was accepted by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated the concept was being considered. This government is constantly concerned about the well-being of its daughters and sisters. According to the prime minister, the girls must marry at a suitable age to avoid famine. Currently, males must be 21 years old to marry, while women must be 18 years old. The administration aims to change the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, the Special Marriage Act, and the Hindu Marriage Act to make the idea a reality.

The plan was supported by a NITI Aayog work committee led by Jaya Jaitly. The task group, which was formed in June of last year, includes VK Paul, senior officials from the Health Ministry, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the Ministry of Law. Jaya Jaitly, the former president of the Samata Party, chaired the task committee. The task group's recommendations for the idea were submitted in December, with the task committee emphasising that a woman must be at least 21 years old at the time of her first pregnancy.
Marriage delay helps families, society, and children in a variety of ways, including financial, social, and health advantages.

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Other proposals made by the task force included an extensive public awareness campaign to facilitate societal acceptance of the decision, the inclusion of sex education in school curricula, women's training in polytechnic institutes, and so on. According to sources, the government is also planning to change the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 and the Special Marriage Act to other personal laws such as the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955.

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