Chandigarh, November 22, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab government is implementing the Jeevanjot Project through the Department of Social Security, Women, and Child Development to eradicate the social evil of child begging. The objective of this initiative is to rescue children engaged in begging, rehabilitate them, and ensure they are guided towards a life free from exploitation. These words were expressed by Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur.
Providing more details in this regard, the Cabinet Minister stated that a campaign is being conducted under the Jeevanjot Project to safeguard the childhood of children involved in begging. Under this initiative, efforts are being made to rescue and rehabilitate such children. She mentioned that this campaign is carried out every second week of the month.
She disclosed that as parts of this campaign, a total of 187 children have been rescued in various districts since July-2024. Of these, 18 children, who lacked shelter, have been placed in state-run children’s homes where they are being provided with education, nutrition, healthcare, and other essential services.
The remaining children have been reunited with their parents through the Child Welfare Committee. Additionally, 15 children are set to benefit from the sponsorship scheme, steps are being taken to enroll 80 children in schools, and 3 children have been admitted to Anganwadi centers.
The Minister stated that under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Punjab Government has registered 07 government-run children’s homes and 39 non-governmental homes in the state, where orphaned, destitute, and abandoned children are provided shelter.
The Cabinet Minister appealed to the citizens that if any case of children begging comes to their attention, they can report the matter to their district’s District Child Protection Unit or Child Welfare Committee, or by calling the Child Helpline No. 1098, which is operated by the department.
