DC orders drive to curb child marriage, dowry in Mandya

Mandya: Mandya DC Kumara Wednesday directed officials to intensify awareness campaigns in rural areas to eradicate child marriage and the dowry system.Chairing the district-level integrated committee meeting convened by department of women and child development, he said Integrated Child Development Services teams must actively engage communities through street plays and grassroots outreach. He instructed schoolteachers to closely monitor the attendance of girl students to detect early warning signs of potential child marriages and called for stronger vigilance at the taluk and gram panchayat levels through properly trained monitoring committees.
Focusing on child welfare, the DC ordered regular inspections of Anganwadi centres to ensure quality food and adequate nutrition for children. He reviewed the functioning of support institutions and directed officials to submit an evaluation report on the Sakhi One-Stop Centre within a week, along with steps to introduce biometric systems for transparency and accountability. Reviewing case progress, he noted that 537 of the 565 cases registered at Santhwana Centres during 2025–26 were resolved and asked authorities to dispose of the remaining 28 cases without delay.Kumara also reviewed the implementation of Mission Shakti and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, stressing comprehensive medical, legal and psychological support for women, and promoting girls' education and gender equity.Senior Civil Judge Anand M and CEO KR Nandini were present.