Registrations for the mass marriages will begin within the next few weeks, according to the proposed plan.
Officials said financial distress had historically increased the vulnerability of girls to early marriage
Officials said district collectors, superintendents of police and zilla parishad chief executive officers will be encouraged to attend the ceremonies and assist in their organisation to lend official support and social legitimacy to the initiative. Jalna collector Ashima Mittal said the initiative would also address concerns over child marriages, which often rise during periods of economic hardship. “Apart from verifying age documents, we will ensure that both the bride and the groom have consented to the marriage,” Mittal said. Dharashiv collector Keerthi Kiran Pujar said safeguards would be put in place to ensure the programme did not inadvertently facilitate underage marriages.
Registrations for the mass marriages will begin within the next few weeks Officials said financial distress had historically increased the vulnerability of girls to early marriage The initiative follows directions from revenue divisional commissioner G Shreekanth to the collectors of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli districts in Marathwada, according to the proposed plan. Officials said the move followed crop losses, declining farm incomes and rising indebtedness, which had made wedding expenses increasingly difficult for rural households to bear.