CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The committee headed by Jaya Jaitly made a lot of recommendations including the increase of the legal age of marriage for women to 21 years. It also asked the government to make provisions to increase female access to schools and colleges, including transportation facilities.

Detailed explanation-2: -At present, the minimum age of marriage for women is 18. It is 21 for men. The proposal that the Cabinet has cleared is based on recommendations submitted to the NITI Aayog by the 10-member task force constituted for the purpose, headed by MP Jaya Jaitly and NITI Aayog member Vinod Paul.

Detailed explanation-3: -Quoting the Law Commission report of 2008 on reforming family laws and the Indian Majority Act, 1875, the women’s groups said the minimum age of marriage be fixed at 18 for both men and women.

Detailed explanation-4: -Increasing the age of marriage for females: The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 provides that the minimum age of marriage is 21 years in case of males, and 18 years in case of females. The Bill increases the minimum age for females to 21 years.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Narendra Modi government in March announced its decision to increase the age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years under the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021.