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New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
Eight-year-old boy sold by mother for Rs 18,000 rescued from Odisha's Bhuban
JAJPUR: The district child protection unit (DCPU) on Thursday rescued an eight-year-old boy who was allegedly sold by his mother to a childless couple of Bhuban area in neighbouring Dhenkanal for Rs 18,000. A team of the DCPU rescued the boy from the house of one Santosh Nayak in Bhuban and produced him before the child welfare committee (CWC). District child protection officer Truptimayee Panda said, 'Acting on the complaint lodged by the boy's father, we rescued the minor from Bhuban with the help of Child Helpline and police.' CWC chairperson Raxona Jena said the boy's mother Puja Parida had sold her son to Santosh. It was facilitated by a ration shop owner who happens to be a relative of Santosh. 'Police produced the boy's mother before the CWC and she admitted to have sold her son to Santosh through a ration shop owner. The CWC has taken custody of the child and sent him to Utkal Balashram,' Jena added. On May 22, the boy's father Prasant Parida, a native of Bada Suara, had accused his wife Puja of selling their son for Rs 18,000. He had approached the district authorities seeking help to get his son back.
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Govt to form district-level task forces to make UP child labour-free by 2027
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to form district-level task forces to make the state completely child labour-free by 2027, officials said. The Labour Department has been assigned the task to achieve the target in coordination with the departments concerned such as Education, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Home, Health, Social Welfare, Rural Development, Urban Development, and Vocational Education, it is learnt. The government has devised concrete steps to address key challenges, including data scarcity and ensuring the retention of children in schools, which are critical in eliminating child labour, the officials said. One of the major hurdles in eradicating child labour has been the lack of reliable data, as comprehensive statistics have not been updated since the 2011 census. To address this, the Panchayati Raj Department has been tasked with collecting data on working children and child labourers at the village level. This data will be shared with the Labour and Education departments, facilitating the implementation of targeted child labour elimination programs. Also, district-level task forces will be established across all districts to expedite data collection with the help of local panchayats, they added. In partnership with UNICEF, the government will compile a booklet detailing the schemes of various departments that benefit child labourers and their families. This initiative will ensure that government assistance reaches every child and their family in need, supporting the broader goal of eliminating child labor in the state, the government stated. Another challenge in eradicating child labour is the retention of children who, despite being enrolled in schools, are irregular in attendance and are at risk of falling into the category of potential child labourers. To address this, the Women Welfare Department's Bal Seva Yojana, Sponsorship Scheme, and Child Helpline are working to provide education and rehabilitation opportunities for these children. The government is also considering the re-implementation of the 'Naya Savera' scheme after a qualitative evaluation, with the aim of providing better opportunities for child labourers. To raise public awareness, a large-scale program will be organised in Lucknow on June 12, World Day Against Child Labour, which will involve the cooperation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), employers, and labour organisations. By combining data , awareness campaigns and rehabilitation schemes, the government is making efforts toward eliminating child labour and ensuring that children receive education and a secure future.
India Gazette
27-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Uttar Pradesh government adopts mission for abolishing child labour from state by 2027
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 27 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government has set a target of making the state free from child labour by the year 2027. Unprecedented coordination has been established between the departments of Education, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Home, Health, Social Welfare, Rural Development, Urban Development, and Vocational Education under the leadership of the Labour Department to achieve the goal. To deal with challenges like a lack of data and retention of children in schools in the path of eliminating child labour, the government has taken concrete and innovative steps, which are taking Uttar Pradesh towards an empowered and prosperous society. The biggest challenge of eliminating child labour has been the unavailability of reliable data, as no comprehensive data is available in this regard since the 2011 census. To deal with this problem, the Panchayati Raj Department has been entrusted with the responsibility of collecting data on working children and child labourers at the village level. This data will be shared with the Labour and Education Department, so that child labour elimination programmes can be implemented effectively. District task forces will soon be formed in all districts, which will speed up data collection in collaboration with panchayats. In addition, in collaboration with UNICEF, schemes of various departments will be compiled in a booklet, which will contain information about schemes benefiting child labourers and their families. This initiative will ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach every needy child and their family. Another major challenge is the retention of those children in schools who do not come to school regularly despite enrollment and fall into the category of potential child labour. To deal with this problem, the Women Welfare Department's Bal Seva Yojana, Sponsorship Scheme, and Child Helpline are being actively implemented. Through these schemes, children are being provided opportunities for education and rehabilitation. The government's 'Naya Savera' scheme is being qualitatively evaluated, and its re-implementation is being considered so that child labourers can get better opportunities. For public awareness, a grand program will be organised in Lucknow on June 12 on International Child Labour Prohibition Day, in which the cooperation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), employers and labour organisations will be taken. This resolution of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is building a new Uttar Pradesh with the coordination and collective efforts of various departments. Through data compilation, awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation schemes, the government is not only moving rapidly towards eliminating child labour but is also playing a leading role in providing education and a secure future to children. This campaign will prove to be a milestone in the direction of making Uttar Pradesh child labour-free by 2027. The Yogi government is running the Atal Residential School for the children of workers in all the divisions. Apart from this, the Chief Minister is trying to connect the children of rural areas and child labour with quality education through the Composite School. (ANI)
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
GTD: Will appeal to govt. to hold free summer camps for rural and marginalised children
Former Minister and MLA for Chamundeshwari G.T. Deve Gowda said he will take up with the government on the need to organise free summer camps for rural children. Participating in the valedictory function of Parisara Besuge, a children's summer camp organised by a Mysuru-based NGO V-Care, at Hootagalli in the city on Sunday, Mr. Gowda was responding to a suggestion in this regard and said he will soon discuss the matter with the Minister concerned. He complimented V-Care for organizing such a summer camp that seeks to develop the personalities of children coming from rural and marginalised communities. 'Not every parent can afford camps. Recognising this, the society must come forward to offer such opportunities to the younger generation. I will appeal to the government to start a free summer camp programme for such children', he said. Mr. Gowda even pointed out that several parents are particular about the education of their children even if they are poor daily wagers. They ensure their children a good education in the hope that they grow up to occupy high and respectable position in the society. Senior theatre personality Rameshwari Varma, who spoke earlier and suggested that the government should organise free summer camps for the children coming from rural and poor backgrounds, also emphasised the significance of the camps that promote environmental awareness among the children. 'Such camps not only make us more humane, but also support the growth of artists. However, parents should not be overburdened financially, and the government should support such initiatives,' she said. Meanwhile, Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, chairperson of Karnataka State Women's Commission, who was the chief guest for the occasion, urged the children to exercise caution while using social media and making friends with strangers. She also emphasised the importance of girls pursuing education before marriage to attain self-reliance. She also called upon the students to dispel notions of inferiority surrounding government or Kannada medium schools. There have been several examples of students studying in such educational institutions excelling in life. 'Success depends on education and not the institution,' she said. Ms. Chowdhary encouraged teaching courage and resilience to children early in life so that it helps them face future challenges confidently. She also called upon children facing difficulties to contact Child Helpline for assistance. Founder of V-Care Kumudini Achchi, in her introductory remarks, said the NGO identifies community needs and conducts programmes with local support. 'By using expressive arts therapeutically, we aim to enhance mental well-being. The Parisara Besuge camp had successfully fostered social responsibility and children's mental health,' she said. Block Education Officer of Mysuru Rural M. Prakash and head of the Department of Psychiatry at JSS Hospital in Mysuru, M. Kishor, also addressed the gathering. EoM
