Aizawl, Mar 3 (UNI) Despite several initiatives, incidence of under-age marriages have increased in six Indian states, including four northeastern states and West Bengal, reports said.

The latest report of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2005-06 yesterday revealed that 20.6 per cent girls in Mizoram, 41 per cent in Tripura, 40.6 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh and 30.1 per cent in Sikkim were married-off below the age of 18.

According to the report, the figures were 11.6 in Mizoram, 37.7 in Tripura, 27.6 in Arunachal Pradesh, 22.3 in Sikkim, 45.9 in West Bengal and 11.6 in Punjab during 1998-99.

Apart from the NE, 53.3 per cent girls in West Bengal and 19.4 per cent in Punjab were also married before 18 years during 2005-06, while the highest number was recorded in Jharkhand.

NFHS report has also stated, ''More women in West Bengal, Punjab, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are getting married even before the age of 15.'' About 18 prominent organisations, including five population research centres, had carried out the study on population, family planning, maternal and child health, child survival, nutrition of children and status of women across the country.

While 61 per cent of under-aged girls got married in Jharkhand, the number stood at 60 per cent in Bihar, 57 per cent in Rajasthan, 55 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, 53 per cent each in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and 52 per cent in Chhattisgarh, the report underlined, adding that more than 71 per cent women got married before 18 years were illiterate.

UNI