Itanagar, Jun 20: In a first for Arunachal Pradesh, the Shi-Yomi district administration has constituted a Pre-Marital Counselling Committee (PMCC) to provide voluntary counselling to young couples planning to marry.
The decision was taken during a meeting held at Tato on Thursday, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Liyi Bagra. The meeting was attended by PRI members, representatives from the Women Welfare Society, and district officials.
Highlighting the need for such an initiative, the Deputy Commissioner stated that rising instances of marital discord, inter-tribe and inter-faith marriages, and early matrimonial alliances are leading to challenges within married life. The PMCC aims to address these concerns by equipping young couples with better understanding of each other’s traditions, expectations, and responsibilities.
The Committee will offer guidance on improving communication, addressing cultural differences, setting realistic marital expectations, and promoting emotional readiness. Additionally, it will raise awareness on the legal and social dimensions of marriage and discourage underage marriages by sensitizing adolescents through outreach in schools and public meetings.
In the same meeting, an Internal Complaints Committee was also established in the DC Office in conformity with Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The committee will look into complaints and provide redressal mechanism regarding complaints of sexual harassment of employees and strive to create a safe working environment for the female employees as well as promote gender equality.