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Punjab govt intensifies steps to check child begging; 41 children rescues in 2 days

Chandigarh, Jul 18 (PTI) Under 'Project Jeevanjot-2', the Punjab government has rescued 41 children in raids at 18 locations across in the last two days as it has stepped up efforts to eradicate child begging from the state. Punjab's Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr Baljit Kaur on Friday said if the culprits are found pushing children into begging or are found to be trafficking networks or mafias exploiting children, they will face punishments ranging from five years imprisonment to life sentence. In cases of physical abuse or violence, the punishment will not be less than 20 years, the minister warned. In a move aimed at checking child trafficking and their exploitation for begging, the Punjab government has directed all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to conduct DNA tests on children found begging with adults on the streets to verify their relationship. "Punjab, a land revered for its gurus, saints, and warriors, cannot allow the shameful practice of child begging to continue unchecked," Kaur said. "When children are forced to beg on 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," she added. The minister said that the state government launched 'Project Jeevanjot' in September 2024, to rescue children found begging across the state. "In the last 9 months, through 753 rescue operations (raids) across districts, 367 children were successfully rescued. Of these, 350 children were reunited with their families, while 17 children whose parents could not be identified were placed in Child Care Homes. Of the total rescued, 150 children belonged to other states and were safely sent back to their families," Kaur said here. As many as 183 rescued children were admitted to schools, 13 children under the age of 6 were enrolled in Anganwadi centres for early childhood care while 30 children from extremely poor families were enrolled in the sponsorship scheme, receiving Rs 4,000 per month to ensure their education continues uninterrupted. Sixteen children were brought under the State's pension scheme, receiving Rs 1,500 per month, she said. The minister said that the state government is not just rescuing children but ensuring continuous monitoring. Every three months, district-level child protection teams verify whether these children continue attending school and are not back on the streets. Despite these efforts, 57 children were found missing again from the schools nor they were found at homes. "This raised an alarming question: Are these children truly safe with their families, or have they fallen victim to human trafficking or begging mafias?," she said, while adding to address these concerns too, Punjab has now upgraded and intensified its mission under 'Project Jeevanjot-2'. The Punjab government has introduced DNA testing in suspicious cases where it is unclear whether the adults are the child's biological parents, she said. If any adult is found forcing unrelated children to beg, strict action will follow under the law. DNA tests will be conducted with orders from the Deputy Commissioner (DC), and during the 15-20 day report period, the children will remain safely under government protection in child care homes, she said. If DNA reports confirm that the adults are not the biological parents, stringent legal action will be initiated, including charges under anti-trafficking and child protection laws, the Minister said. Baljit Kaur said that, already, an FIR has been registered in Bathinda where 20 children were rescued from villages suspected of being exploited for begging. Kaur emphasized that Punjab is the first state in India to initiate such an integrated, aggressive, and self-conceived programme without waiting for any central government directive. 'Project Jeevanjot-2' brings together provisions from The Beggary Act, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, various guidelines of the Supreme Court and High Court and SOPs issued by the Punjab State Child Protection Commission, she said. Under this project, parents forcing children to beg will face action. They may receive a warning on first offence, but repeated offences will result in them being declared 'unfit guardians'. Such children will then be placed in adoption lines, ensuring their future is protected, she said. Under Project Jeevanjot, 17 rescued children were found to be physically challenged and victims of physical abuse. The government has provided them with health insurance coverage and is ensuring their complete medical treatment through health cards, she said. "The message of our government is very clear--if anyone forces children to beg in Punjab, they will face the full force of law," she said. "Punjab will not tolerate such exploitation of its children. We will rescue every child, punish every culprit, and protect every innocent life," she said. PTI SUN NB NB

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