Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 16: Terming the proposal of the Union Cabinet to raise the marriage age for girls of the country to 21 years as one more step towards empowerment of the women, Rekha Mahajan, secretary, Jammu and Kashmir, BJP, said that it will be benefitting them in many ways.
Expressing her views on this proposal, she said that by raising the minimum age of marriage, now girls will get time to become physically and mentally strong enough to bear the important responsibilities after being married. It will also reduce the rate of maternal morality.
Rekha Mahajan said that the centuries old social practice of child marriage still prevails in many areas, particularly in Tribal communities, which would now be checked legally. She said that marriage at a small age robs girls of their childhood and also threatens their lives and health. Child brides often become pregnant during adolescence, when the risk of complications during pregnancy and child birth increases for mothers and their infants. The practice can also isolate girls from family and friends and exclude them from participating in the community events, taking heavy toll on their physical and psychological well being.
Rekha further said that increase in marriage age would also provide them time to decide about their future, pursue higher studies in fields of their choice, even become self reliant and excel to lead a dignified life.
Rekha Mahajan said that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address on August 15, 2020, had stressed on saving the daughters from malnutrition and getting them married at the right time. By taking a decision to propose rise in marriage age by his cabinet has, once again, made it clear that well being of women has special concern in policies and programmes of the Union Government.
Narendra Modi Government has already launched various welfare schemes and programmes during the last over seven years for the socio-economic upliftment of the women and their social honour, she added.
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