While the number of beneficiaries of the scheme has almost touched 1 crore, child marriage continues to be a challenge for policymakers in the State.Why is child marriage still high in West Bengal? The gram panchayat has been declared Child Marriage Free by the District authorities with no child marriage recorded in the past six months. The gram panchayat has been declared Child Marriage Free by the District authorities with no child marriage recorded in the past six months. | Photo Credit:Shiv Sahay SinghPrevention and prosecutionOutside the two-storeyed blue and white office of Bhakuri II gram panchayat, declared child-marriage free, there is a newly erected plaque in Bengali, which declares the gram panchayat child-marriage free. On one piece of paper in bold letters, is: “Hopeless end or endless hope”.

Source: The Hindu January 04, 2026 22:05 UTC