The Union Cabinet has approved a bill to increase the minimum age for marriage of a girl child. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hinted about this while addressing the nation from the Red Fort. The minimum age for marriage of girls is currently 18 years. The government intends to increase it to 21. The government has started preparations for this. A bill in this regard is likely to be tabled in the same session. The winter session of Parliament is currently underway. The Child Marriage Act will be amended to increase the minimum age for marriage. At present, the minimum age for marriage of girls is 18 years. An amendment bill to amend the law was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Modi.
A task force was set up last year to decide on the minimum age for marriage of girls. The task force had suggested raising the minimum age for marriage from 18 to 21 years. The task force was set up under the chairmanship of former MP Jaya Jaitley. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day. At that time, Modi had hinted in his speech to increase the minimum age for marriage. Modi had said that considering the current situation, consideration should be given to increase the age of marriage.