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Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Karnataka: State still struggles to curb child marriages, teenage pregnancies
Bengaluru: Despite being a state that has made rapid strides in education, technology, and social awareness, Karnataka continues to grapple with the serious social issues of child marriage and teenage pregnancies. Despite government-led awareness campaigns and strict enforcement of laws, the number of such cases continues to rise, raising alarm among policymakers and citizens alike. In the 2024–25 period alone, Karnataka reported 700 instances of child marriage. According to the Women and Child Development Department, out of 3,049 complaints received related to child marriage, officials managed to prevent 2,349. However, the fact that 700 marriages still took place despite these efforts has emerged as a significant concern for the state administration. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during a recent two-day meeting with Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers, expressed serious concern over the issue and issued strict directives to curb such practices. District-wise data reveals the spread of the issue across Karnataka. Shivamogga reported the highest number of child marriages at 79, followed closely by Belagavi with 78, which is notably the home district of Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. Other districts with a high number of reported child marriages include Chitradurga with 74, Bagalkote and Mysuru with 60 each, Mandya with 57, and Haveri with 42. Mysuru, the Chief Minister's home district, not only recorded a high number of actual cases but also saw the highest number of complaints, at 284. Authorities managed to prevent 224 of those marriages. Similarly, Mandya had 180 complaints, of which 129 were prevented. In Bengaluru Urban, out of 83 complaints, 53 marriages were stopped but 30 still took place. Districts such as Chikkaballapur, Vijayanagara, Ballari, and Chikkamagaluru each reported 11 cases. Koppal received 168 complaints, out of which 161 marriages were stopped, while 7 went ahead. Relatively fewer cases were reported in Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, and Udupi, with 7, 7, and 6 cases respectively. Over the last four years, from 2021–22 to 2024–25, the state witnessed a total of 2,165 child marriages. The yearly breakdown shows 418 cases in 2021–22, 328 in 2022–23, 719 in 2023–24 (the first year under the current Congress government), and 700 in 2024–25. The sharp spike in the last two years has become a matter of concern, prompting the Chief Minister to sternly question officials during recent reviews. Equally alarming is the number of teenage pregnancies recorded under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In 2024–25, Karnataka registered 3,489 POCSO cases, of which 685 involved teenage girls who became pregnant. These figures highlight not just sexual violence but the broader social neglect and vulnerability of young girls in the state. Bengaluru Urban reported the highest number of POCSO cases at 343, with 28 teenage pregnancies. Shivamogga followed with 231 cases, including 55 pregnancies. In Belagavi, 179 cases were registered, with 20 teenage pregnancies. Chikkaballapur had 170 cases and 32 pregnancies, while Mandya recorded 160 cases and 8 teenage pregnancies. Despite Karnataka's reputation as a progressive and modern state, these statistics expose the persistence of regressive social practices and highlight the urgent need for stronger enforcement, better education, and community-level engagement to protect the rights and futures of young girls.
Hans India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Anganwadi golden jubilee celebrations in October: Minister
Bengaluru: As Anganwadi is completing 50 years in Karnataka next October, a grand Golden Jubilee program will be organized at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, said Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Minister of Women and Child Development and Empowerment of the Disabled and Senior Citizens. Speaking after presiding over the progress review meeting of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) branch of the Bangalore and Mysore divisions of the Women and Child Development and Empowerment of the Disabled and Senior Citizens Department, the Minister said that a round of talks has already been held with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard. The Union Minister of Women and Child Development will be invited to the ceremony. He said that he dreams of organizing a program in the presence of 1 lakh people, including all the Anganwadi workers and helpers, along with all the staff of the department. The officers and staff should work responsibly for the progress of the department. He said that the projects of the department should be managed in a proper manner. In the last budget, the honorarium of Anganwadi workers and helpers was increased by Rs 1,000. The Central Government has recognized the maximum number of 3,800 mini Anganwadis in the entire country in Karnataka. The Minister said that this many mini Anganwadi centers have been obtained as a result of the persuasion of the Central Government. The Justice Venugopal Gowda Committee has also expressed its appreciation for the functioning of our department. The Minister said that in future, a progress review meeting of the department will be held at the divisional level. Detailed discussion on projects The Minister received information and discussed the start of pre-primary classes in Anganwadi centers, progress review of various indices as per the Poshan Tracker under the jurisdiction of the ICDS branch at the division level, details of grants and expenditure released under various account heads of the ICDS scheme, progress review of Anganwadi buildings, details of recruitment of Anganwadi workers and helpers, details of pending NPS reconciliation process and Ayushman Bharat health card in the meeting. Demand for starting LKG, UKG All officers of the department including Deputy Directors, CDPOs should take utmost care to start pre-primary classes (LKG, UKG). Starting pre-primary classes is a matter of prestige for the department. The Minister said that LKG, UKG will also help the department in its survival. The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Department, Dr. Shamla Iqbal, Director of the Women and Child Development Department, Raghavendra, the Minister's Private Secretary, Dr. T.H. Vishwanath, the Minister's Officer on Special Duty and the Joint Director of the Department, B.H. Nischal.
Hans India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar upset with BJP workers' behaviour
Belagavi: 'We are behaving peacefully even when BJP leaders are scolding our leader Rahul Gandhi inside and outside the House'. Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar expressed her displeasure that BJP workers behaved excessively during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's speech. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar said that 'when the Chief Minister was speaking at a division-level programme of 25,000 people in Belagavi, to what extent was it right for BJP workers to come in the middle and show a blacklist'. She questioned whether Congress workers would be left if the party workers did this at a BJP rally in the future. 'Even if such incidents happen in the future, you (the media) will witness it. If such incidents recur, our workers will not sit idly by. Our workers also have anger, pride and concern for the party, the minister warned. There are fans of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah across the state. Our Chief Minister was shown black cloth while speaking. This does not bring glory to BJP workers', she said. Responding to a question about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's attempt to lay hands on a police officer during his speech, the minister said that it could have happened at that moment when he attempted to lay hands on a police officer. Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar said that this was an accidental incident that happened on that occasion. 'Siddaramaiah is a senior, he has never gone beyond his limits in terms of respecting officers. Such an incident should not have happened on that occasion. Another name for Siddaramaiah is the voice of the backward class, the voice of the oppressed. Everyone praises Siddaramaiah's great qualities'. However, that one incident should not have happened, she said. 3- month Gruhalakshmi money in May The remaining three months (January, February, March) of Gruhalakshmi money will be released in May, informed Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. The Finance Department has approved the release of three months of money, and the minister said that one month's money will be released to the bank accounts of Gruhalakshmi beneficiaries one week and another month's money the next week.
