Marking a decisive step towards a child marriage free Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai today flagged off the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ from his hometown Jashpur. The Rath, adorned with a pledge wall and awareness messages against child marriage, will travel through villages and towns across the state till March 8. Bal Vivah Mukti Rath, an initiative of Just Rights for Children (JRC), is part of the Government of India’s 100-day intensive nationwide campaign to end child marriage. Notably, Just Rights for Children is among the country’s largest child rights networks, with over 250 NGO partners working across more than 450 districts to strengthen child protection systems and end child marriage by 2030.

Equipped with powerful slogans spread both as posters and through loudspeakers, and a pledge-signing board, the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ is designed to reach the most remote and marginalised communities during the route. While four-wheelers will cover routes with major roads and better accessibility, the most remote villages with poor connectivity will be reached through motorcycle or cycle caravans across the state. The flagging off ceremony was organised by Just Rights for Children’s Jashpur partner Samarpit Centre for Poverty Alleviation and Social Research.

Praising Just Rights for Children for its efforts to end child marriage, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, after flagging off the Bal Vivah Mukti Rath, said, “The prevalence of child marriage has already declined in the state, and we have declared Balod district child marriage free. With the consistent efforts of the government, civil society organisations, and local administrations, we are confident of completely eliminating this crime from Chhattisgarh.”

Notably, Chhattisgarh has been at the forefront in the country’s fight to end child marriage. While Balod district in Chhattisgarh became the country’s first child marriage free district in 2025, district administration in Surajpur district declared 75 village panchayats as Child Marriage Free Panchayats. The ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ is expected to reach the last mile and the last village of the state with the message of ‘Child Marriage Free Chhattisgarh’.

Hailing the Chhattisgarh government’s firm stand against child marriage, Bidhan Chandra, National Convenor, Child Marriage Free India, said that the state has emerged as a benchmark for the rest of the country through its strong partnerships, political will, and sustained action on the ground.

“The world is watching India’s determination to end child marriage. This fight is succeeding by bringing everyone together, ensuring that every family is involved, every child is protected, and every village moves towards being child marriage free. Today’s event in Chhattisgarh reflects the country’s political resolve to end this crime,” he said during the flagging off ceremony. Child Marriage Free India is the flagship campaign by Just Rights for Children to end child marriage in the country by 2030. In the last one year alone, the network stopped almost 198,628 child marriages across the country, out of which 3988 child marriages were stopped in Chhattisgarh alone.

During its journey, the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ will engage panchayats, district administrations, CMPOs, and other government officials, to reach out to communities for awareness and pledges. The journey, which culminates on International Women’s Day, will cover schools, gram sabhas, religious institutions, and historical sites and spread the message through nukkad nataks, cultural programmes and survivors’ stories. Moreover, similar ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ by JRC are currently travelling in 451 districts across 25 states. These districts have a high prevalence of child marriage, making sustained awareness of child marriage laws and community accountability both urgent and essential.

As per the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, anyone who conducts, facilitates, knowingly participates, or provides any form of service for a child marriage is liable for legal action.