Bhagwant Mann-led AAP govt in Punjab creates protective shield for children, reuniting families via DNA testing
CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has launched 'Operation Jeevanjyot 2' campaign — a movement that aims to lift children from the streets and place them into schools.
In the past nine months, 367 children have been rescued from Punjab's streets, intersections, and religious sites — children who deserved to be holding books but were instead forced to hold begging bowls.
The Mann government launched this campaign first in September 2024. Of the 753 rescue operations conducted so far, most targeted areas where child begging and rag-picking are common, such as railway stations, marketplaces, temples, and traffic signals.
A total of 350 children were safely reunited with their families, while 17 were placed in childcare homes as no trace of their families could be found.
So far, 183 of these children have been enrolled in schools, and 13 younger ones have been admitted to Anganwadi centres. Additionally, 30 children from economically weak families are receiving financial support of Rs 4,000 per month to continue their education. Sixteen children have been linked to pension schemes, and 13 have been provided with health insurance coverage.
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The government has also put in place a system to monitor these children's progress. Every three months, District Child Protection Units check whether the children are attending school or have returned to the streets.
Still, 57 children have gone untraceable during follow-ups — possibly because they had no permanent address, or worse, they may have fallen victim to exploitation again. These concerns have led to the launch of Project Jeevanjyot-2, this time with a more stringent strategy.
Now, DNA testing is being conducted on adults found with children to verify if they are the real parents. As part of this, 21 children were rescued during 17 statewide raids conducted on 17 July — 13 from Mohali, 4 from Amritsar, and the rest from Barnala, Mansa, and Faridkot. In Bathinda, 20 children have been identified for DNA testing.
From a legal standpoint, anyone found forcing a child to beg or involved in child trafficking can now face five years to life imprisonment. A parent who repeatedly subjects their child to this cycle can be declared an 'unfit parent', and the state will take custody of the child.
Local administrations, police, doctors, teachers, social organisations, and volunteers are all working together with the government.
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