Chhattisgarh CM flags off ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’

Marking a decisive step towards a child marriage free Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai flagged off the ‘Bal Vivah Mukti Rath’ from his hometown Jashpur on Thursday, February 5, 2026. 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. Praising Just Rights for Children for its efforts to end child marriage, Chief Minister Sai 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.”  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.