E-Paper
Punjab: 195 children rescued in 11 days: Minister
Punjab social security, women and child development minister Dr Baljit Kaur on Sunday informed that under the ongoing state-level Project Jeevanjyot–2 campaign, three child beggars were rescued during 11 raids carried out across various districts of Punjab.
Punjab social security, women and child development minister Dr Baljit Kaur on Sunday informed that under the ongoing state-level Project Jeevanjyot–2 campaign, three child beggars were rescued during 11 raids carried out across various districts of Punjab. Since the launch of this phase of the campaign, a total of 195 children have been rescued through 190 special raids conducted in 11 days, the minister stated.
She added that these raids were conducted by the district-level child protection teams in Barnala, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Patiala, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Tarn Taran.
During the recent raids, two children were rescued in Hoshiarpur and one in Sangrur. After counselling, the child rescued in Sangrur was reunited with parents, while the documentation of the two children rescued in Hoshiarpur is still under process, and both have been shifted to a child care institution (CCI).
According to the minister, 102 children have been admitted to CCIs in these 11 days. She further informed that if there is any suspicion regarding the relationship between a rescued child and the accompanying adult, the district child welfare committee is authorised to recommend DNA testing with the approval of the deputy commissioner.
Issuing a stern message, the minister said parents found forcing their child into begging, even after repeated counselling, will be declared unfit guardians and face legal consequences. Moreover, any individual involved in child trafficking or exploitation will also face strict punitive action under the law, she added.
