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41 children found begging rescued in raids across 18 locations in Punjab
41 children found begging rescued in raids across 18 locations in Punjab

New Indian Express

time5 days ago

  • New Indian Express

41 children found begging rescued in raids across 18 locations in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: In a significant move to eradicate child begging, 41 children were rescued in the last two days during 18 raids conducted across various locations in Punjab under the state's intensified child protection initiative, Project Jeevan Jyot 2.0 – Save the Childhood. Authorities have ordered DNA testing in suspicious cases to verify whether the accompanying adults are the children's biological parents. Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr Baljit Kaur said, 'When we see small children forced to beg on our streets, it is not just their dignity that suffers, it raises serious questions on our society's collective conscience and on the honour of Punjab itself.' The minister explained that the earlier version of the programme, Project Jeevan Jyot 1.0, launched in September last year, led to the rescue of 367 children across 753 raids. Of these, 350 children were reunited with their families. Seventeen children whose parents could not be identified were placed in Child Care Homes (Bal Ghar), while 150 rescued children from other states were repatriated to their families under the same initiative. Dr Kaur noted that the project also focused on reintegration through education and financial support. 'A total of 183 children were admitted to schools, and 13 children under the age of six were enrolled in Anganwadi centres for early childhood care. Additionally, 30 children from extremely poor families were enrolled in the Sponsorship Scheme, receiving ₹4,000 per month to ensure their education continues uninterrupted. Another 16 children were brought under the state's pension scheme, receiving ₹1,500 per month,' she said.

Punjab to conduct DNA tests on children involved in begging to verify parentage
Punjab to conduct DNA tests on children involved in begging to verify parentage

New Indian Express

time7 days ago

  • New Indian Express

Punjab to conduct DNA tests on children involved in begging to verify parentage

CHANDIGARH: For the first time in Punjab, DNA testing will be conducted on children involved in begging along with the adults accompanying them, to ascertain if they are their biological parents. If not, a case will be registered against the alleged child traffickers. A letter issued today by the Director of Social Security and Women and Child Development, addressed to all Deputy Commissioners across the state, states that the move is part of the ongoing Project Jeewan Jyot 2.0 - Save the Childhood. 'It is brought to your notice that in order to safeguards the rights of the children by the government, the project Jeewan Jyot 2.0 has been sanctioned. Thus you are requested to implement the project in your districts concerned and issue the relevant directions in this regard,' the letter read. According to the project, the need for DNA testing arose from the fact that children are soft targets for organised trafficking networks that abduct, traffic, and maim them, forcing them into begging which is a serious violation of child rights. 'The children are trafficked, separated from their biological families, and forced into begging and there are no means of identification or verification of claims of guardianship of the accompanying adult. Often it is seen that young girls are seen begging on the streets who have a sleeping infant tied to them with a cloth. 'The infant shows less mobility and the young mothers seem less bothered about the condition of the child. These sightings have become common in urban areas especially at traffic light points,'' the instructions stated.

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