Chittoor Collector calls for collective efforts to eradicate child marriages
District Collector Sumit Kumar has initiated a campaign in Chittoor to eradicate child marriages by increasing school-level awareness and enforcing stricter monitoring. Officials are targeting teenage pregnancy hotspots and emphasizing the legal consequences for those involved in child marriages.
Why it matters
Addressing child marriage is critical for improving public health outcomes and protecting the rights of minors in rural Indian districts.
District Collector Sumit Kumar on Friday (October 9, 2026) called for collective efforts to eradicate the social evil of child marriages, and stressed that awareness must begin at school level. The Collector chaired a review meeting on teenage pregnancies at the ZP Meeting Hall here.
He said students from Class 6 onwards should be sensitised about the adverse impact of child marriage, legal aspects, and help mechanisms. He said that Self Help Groups should include prevention in the agenda to reach every family.
“Hostel wardens should be alert when issuing Transfer Certificates to prevent girls from leaving schools for marriages and inform the police and enforcement squad officials on suspicious cases. The role of the police is crucial, and strict action must be taken against violators, and no political pressure should be tolerated,” he said.
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