Assam Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma justified his government’s massive crackdown on child marriages with statistics that Assam has a 16.8% teenage pregnancy ratio, which is quite alarming.
Of the 6.2 lakh pregnant women registered last year (January to December), he said 1.04 lakh, accounting for 16.8% were teenage pregnancies. They got pregnant at the age of 19 or before, the CM stated, citing RCH portal data figures.
Barpeta district topped the chart with a teenage pregnancy ratio of 28.7%. The corresponding figures for Dhubri and South Salmara and Goalpara districts have been 27.9% and 24.1% respectively. All three are minority-inhabited districts in lower Assam.
“Our drive against child marriage is for public health & public welfare as teenage pregnancy ratio in Assam is quite alarming - 16.8%. We’re resolved to continue this drive until we fulfil our objective. I urge the people to cooperate with us in controlling this harmful trend,” Himanta tweeted.
