PEOs, wardens to work towards preventing child marriage | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: To improve the safety of women and children, the govt decided to designate the panchayat executive officers in gram panchayats and wardens and matrons of the residential schools as new Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO).
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja on Friday. As per the decision, the PEOs, wardens, and matrons will display their nameplates as CMPO outside their offices and also prominently display various helpline numbers of the govt.
The headmasters and principals of educational institutions were asked to report any instances of child marriages within their jurisdictions to the CMPOs for further action.
“The principals and headmasters will be designated as child marriage information officers, and they will display the same on their nameplates. This would help in creating awareness about prevention of child marriage among all visitors and parents to the institutions,” read the minutes of the meeting.
School and mass education department has also been roped into the endeavour and has been asked to include a chapter on child marriage in their curriculum to raise awareness among students and teachers.
For women’s safety, the state govt decided to introduce Police Control Room (PCR) vans with deployment of 100% police personnel at major tourist places. This aims to instil confidence and trust among female tourists, especially those travelling solo.
“Police stations and outposts near major tourist places of Odisha should deploy at least 70% women personnel. The tourism department will take steps to increase the number of women guides to at least 50% in all tourist places,” read the minutes.
The meeting, which was attended by officials of multiple departments including home, tourism, women and child development, panchayati raj, higher education, school and mass education, and transport among others, was given specific tasks to ensure the objectives are achieved.
Officials further decided to give preference to women drivers during recruitment in the public transport system. “Necessary measures would be taken by the concerned agencies and departments to provide skill development training to women in driving,” the minutes read.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja on Friday. As per the decision, the PEOs, wardens, and matrons will display their nameplates as CMPO outside their offices and also prominently display various helpline numbers of the govt.
The headmasters and principals of educational institutions were asked to report any instances of child marriages within their jurisdictions to the CMPOs for further action.
“The principals and headmasters will be designated as child marriage information officers, and they will display the same on their nameplates. This would help in creating awareness about prevention of child marriage among all visitors and parents to the institutions,” read the minutes of the meeting.
School and mass education department has also been roped into the endeavour and has been asked to include a chapter on child marriage in their curriculum to raise awareness among students and teachers.
For women’s safety, the state govt decided to introduce Police Control Room (PCR) vans with deployment of 100% police personnel at major tourist places. This aims to instil confidence and trust among female tourists, especially those travelling solo.
“Police stations and outposts near major tourist places of Odisha should deploy at least 70% women personnel. The tourism department will take steps to increase the number of women guides to at least 50% in all tourist places,” read the minutes.
The meeting, which was attended by officials of multiple departments including home, tourism, women and child development, panchayati raj, higher education, school and mass education, and transport among others, was given specific tasks to ensure the objectives are achieved.
Officials further decided to give preference to women drivers during recruitment in the public transport system. “Necessary measures would be taken by the concerned agencies and departments to provide skill development training to women in driving,” the minutes read.
