Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Maharashtra Minister of Medical Education Hasan Mushrif, in a written reply, said in a serious bid to curb ragging, the state government has formed anti-ragging committees at the level of the medical colleges, which will hold regular periodical reviews.

The Directorate of Medical Education issues advisories from time to time to all government medical colleges for taking further measures by the dean-level anti-ragging committees. The question was raised by member Saroj Ahire in the state Assembly on the steps taken by the government to curb ragging.

Minister Mushrif said that the National Medical Commission has released the National Medical Commission (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions) Regulations, 2021, in order to take steps to curb ragging across the country.

Minister Mushrif said that the Maharashtra University of Health Services had received complaints about 50 raging cases during 2022-24 through the National Anti-Ragging portal. The University has immediately taken a serious note of those complaints.

The minister said that the state government does not have the Society Against Violence in Education’s report on the complaints of ragging in connection with the Maharashtra University of Health Services. He said no deaths were reported in ragging complaints received by the Maharashtra University of Health Services. Of the 50 complaints, 41 were general and nine were serious.

In another question, Maharashtra Minister of Public Health Prakash Abitkar, in a written reply, said 14 pregnancy cases due to child marriage, of which seven delivered babies between April 2024 and March 2025 in Beed district. These cases were reported by the Centre’s Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Portal. The Public Health Department has communicated to various health organisations to initiate action in connection with child marriage under the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The question was raised by Amol Khatal on the child marriage case in the Beed district.

Minister Abitkar said that the gram sevaks in all gram panchayats have been appointed as anti-child marriage officers. The anganwadi sevikas have been appointed to assist the gram sevaks.

In urban areas, the child development project officers have been appointed as anti-child marriage officers and anganwadi supervisors as assistant anti-child marriage officers. Further, in every district, a child protection cell has been established.

–IANS

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