RAIPUR: A major goof-up has come to the fore in Chhattisgarh's much hyped 'Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana' wherein a minor tribal girl who is now a mother of a child, was allegedly married off at the age of 14 during a mass wedding ceremony hosted by state at Surguja division in 2015.The 16-year-old tribal girl hailing from Bandha village of Lakhanpur block in Surguja is still a minor and her first child couldn't develop properly in the womb and was aborted as the girl was too tender to carry a baby, she told media.While the officers of women and child development department were alleged of corruption in haste to meet the target for conducting mass wedding, Surguja collector has ordered a probe to verify the claims.Talking to TOI, Surguja collector Kiran Kaushal confirmed that the matter has come her knowledge and she has ordered an inquiry in the case."The girl is reportedly still a minor and it's unlikely that a minor girl was married under Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana as the papers and records are verified before the wedding. However, I have ordered a probe and we would also cross-check if the girl got married under the state scheme, only then I would be able to comment on actions to be taken for rehabilitation of girl or against the officers responsible," Kaushal said.According to information, chief minister Raman Singh was also present to bless the newly married couples during the mass wedding conducted on March 17, 2015 at Lakhanpur.While a girl has to be 18 years of age to be eligible for marriage, in many instances earlier, officials of women and child development department were accused of getting minors married in order to achieve target of 'Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yoajana.The girl who has studied till standard V, is now a minor mother and has a four month old infant with her to look after. As per the school records, she was born on September 15, 2001 and belongs to Pando tribe.The tribal girl said that she and her husband were earning Rs 2500 per month and are finding hard to meet ends. When asked if she tried to approach administration, she naively said she was clueless that a minor isn't supposed to get married and if she should seek help.Officials in women and child development department said that they weren't posted in Surguja when the incident took place and doesn't have much to say, but they said that it was a matter of investigation.The opposition wants the erring officials to be brought to book.Condemning the issue, leader of opposition TS Singhdeo told TOI, "I have raised the issue in Vidhan Sabha numerous times that people who are already married, have children and minors were being forced to marry under the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana as officials were under pressure to meet targets. But government kept sweeping the issue under the carpet. Action must be taken against officers responsible as it is violation of human and child rights."

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