Child Marriage Or Sexual Assault? 14 Minors Get Pregnant In One Year In Maharashtra’s Beed, Sparks Concern

In the latest development in Maharashtra’s Beed district 14 minor girls have become pregnant involved in child marriages between April 2024 and March 2025. In a written reply to the state assembly, Health Minister Prakash Aabitkar confirmed that seven of the 14 girls have already given birth.

MLAs Amol Khatal (Sangamner) and Amit Satam raised the issue, requesting official data from the state’s reproductive and child health (RCH) portal. The minister’s response has reignited debate over the prevalence of child marriage in rural Maharashtra, where such practices continue despite legal prohibition.

Minister Aabitkar Clarifies System Limitations

Minister Aabitkar explained that the RCH portal does not categorize pregnancies among minors as cases of sexual assault. Instead, it registers any woman or girl of reproductive age who tests positive for pregnancy as a ‘pregnant mother’ alongside the husband’s name. The system cross-verifies ages using Aadhaar-linked ABHA health cards. The absence of a separate field to register minors as victims of sexual violence has raised questions about the legal gaps that allow child abuse to remain undocumented. The minister acknowledged these limitations and emphasized the need for systemic vigilance.

Officials Fear Underreporting as Activists Demand Action

Child rights activists highlighted that under Indian law, any sexual act involving a girl under 18 constitutes statutory rape, regardless of marriage status. Despite the 14 pregnancies recorded, activists believe the actual number could be much higher, particularly in rural areas where such incidents often go unreported. They warned that official figures might only represent the visible tip of a much larger issue. Minister Aabitkar assured the assembly that the government had issued fresh orders under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, urging all health institutions to report such cases.

State Deploys Village-Level Officers to Prevent Child Marriage

To curb child marriage at the grassroots level, the Maharashtra government has appointed gram sevaks as child marriage prevention officers across all villages. Anganwadi workers will assist them in this task. In urban areas, Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and Anganwadi supervisors have been designated as the primary and assistant prohibition officers.

 District-level child protection cells are now functional across the state. Authorities have also mandated that schools, local government offices, and community centers conduct child marriage prevention pledge ceremonies to raise awareness among communities.

Social Pressures and Poverty Continue to Undermine Legal Measures

Despite state-led preventive frameworks, Beed’s recent data shows a disconnect between awareness programs and their effectiveness. Activists blame entrenched traditions, poverty, and limited educational access for the persistence of child marriage. In many instances, families and communities continue to overlook the law. While the government discusses stricter enforcement, lawmakers now face an urgent question: how many more minor girls must be pushed into early motherhood before real change takes place?

Must Read: Government Of India Launches National Logo Contest For Leptospirosis Control Program, Here’s How You Can Apply