Ongoing drive rescuing child beggars also prioritises rehabilitation: Punjab minister

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Chandigarh, Punjab Minister Baljit Kaur on Friday said that the ongoing drive to rescue child beggars in the state also focuses on their scientific identification, rehabilitation, and long-term integration into society. Ongoing drive rescuing child beggars also prioritises rehabilitation: Punjab minister
The Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister informed that the project, launched nine months ago, has now been relaunched in an upgraded and intensified format as Jiwanjyot 2.0.
"The revamped project includes social investigation reports, DNA testing, psychological counselling, and strict legal follow-up," she said here.
In the last week alone, around 170 child beggars were rescued from various locations across the state.
Kaur highlighted that 125 coordinated rescue raids were conducted in major cities, resulting in the rescue of these children. Among them, 80 children were identified and reunited with their parents after thorough verification and counselling to ensure they are not coerced back into begging.
However, 88 children whose parents or guardians could not be traced were placed in secure, government-run childcare institutions where they would receive nutrition, education, emotional support, and medical assistance in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act.
Kaur also mentioned that 25 social investigation reports have been prepared to better understand the backgrounds, vulnerabilities, and needs of the rescued children.
In the case of 16 children, their DNA identification is being undertaken. 13 samples have been collected and sent to authorised labs for parentage confirmation.
Among the rescued children, 10 are from other states, and the minister assured that necessary coordination is underway to facilitate their safe repatriation in consultation with the relevant state governments.
"Project Jiwanjot is not just about pulling children off the streets; it's about rebuilding their futures," Kaur stated, adding that many of these children have now been admitted to schools and linked with welfare schemes, and follow-up monitoring is underway.
Issuing a stern warning to parents or guardians found forcing children into begging, Kaur asserted that such individuals will be declared "unfit guardians" under the law, and legal action will be initiated.
She also reiterated the government's firm stance against organised gangs or traffickers exploiting minors, promising strict police action under relevant IPC provisions.
To address the issue holistically, Kaur announced that the Punjab Government will soon establish Aasra Centres for adult beggars in major cities, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali and Bathinda. These centres will provide shelter, counselling and skill training to ensure adult beggars are not forced to push children into street begging.
Kaur appealed to the public to call the Child Helpline if they see a child begging anywhere in Punjab, noting that timely reporting can change a child's life.
Recently, the state government directed all deputy commissioners to conduct DNA tests for children found begging alongside adults on the streets to verify their relationships and address the issue of child begging.
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