Union Minister satisfied with childcare institutions of Tripura, says panchayat level drive launched to prevent child marriages

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, June 29, 2026

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi on Monday said panchayats would play a crucial role in preventing child marriages across the country, while also describing Tripura’s child care institutions as a model that could be replicated in other states.

Addressing a press conference in Agartala after reviewing the activities of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department, the minister said the Centre has launched a child marriage-free panchayat campaign aimed at strengthening grassroots-level intervention and community participation.

She said officials have been designated at the panchayat level to monitor and prevent child marriages, while data on child marriage cases would be collected from every panchayat to help formulate effective preventive measures.

“The effort to eliminate child marriage requires participation from both the government and society. Panchayats will play a major role in this campaign, and systematic data collection at the grassroots level will strengthen intervention mechanisms,” she said.

According to the minister, increasing reporting of child marriage cases reflects growing awareness among communities and greater confidence in government institutions. She noted that in several cases, girls themselves have approached authorities to report impending marriages, enabling timely intervention and cancellation of such events.

The Union minister said the child marriage-free panchayat initiative seeks to create accountability at the local level and encourage communities to actively participate in eliminating the social practice.

Earlier in the day, Annapurna Devi visited several welfare institutions in Agartala, including the Girls’ Unit-II Child Care Institution at Abhoynagar, the Saksham Anganwadi Centre attached to the Mahila Ashram and the under-construction Working Women’s Hostel.

During the visit, she reviewed infrastructure, service delivery and ongoing development projects related to women and child welfare. She interacted with officials and children residing at the institutions and assessed the quality of services being provided.

Praising Tripura’s child care system, the minister said the state has developed an effective model of child welfare that could serve as a benchmark for other parts of the country.

She said the experiences and practices adopted in Tripura deserve wider recognition and indicated that other states could be encouraged to study the functioning of the institutions.

Highlighting her interaction with children staying in the institutions, Annapurna Devi said the facilities are focusing not only on formal education but also on skill development and vocational training to prepare children for future employment opportunities.

She emphasized that the exchange of successful welfare models among states plays an important role in strengthening service delivery and improving rehabilitation and care systems.

Reviewing other welfare initiatives, the minister said Anganwadi workers have been linked with the Ayushman Bharat scheme and efforts are underway to bring them under social pension coverage.

She also said that ten working women’s hostels are currently under construction in Tripura and are expected to become operational in the near future. The Centre, she added, would continue extending support for strengthening welfare services and addressing pending fund-related issues.

Tripura Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy and departmental secretary Tapan Das accompanied the Union minister during her visit and review meetings. Earlier, Annapurna Devi also offered prayers at the Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur.

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