Balod district of Chhattisgarh has become the first district in India to be officially recognized as ‘child marriage-free,’ a major accomplishment under the ‘Child Marriage Free India’ campaign initiated on August 27, 2024. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as Balod has not recorded a single case of child marriage in the past two years. This accomplishment was made possible through the collective efforts of various stakeholders, including the administration, elected officials, Anganwadi workers, and local communities. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the district administration and reiterated the government’s commitment to eliminating child marriage across Chhattisgarh by 2028-29. All 436 gram panchayats and 9 urban bodies in Balod have been issued certificates to acknowledge their contributions.
