Nawanshahr- Deputy Commissioner Ankurjit Singh has directed the officers of Social Security and Women and Child Development Department to identify such school-age children in the district who are engaged in child labour on the streets and take necessary steps for their rehabilitation.
Deputy Commissioner Ankurjit Singh said that any child can contact child helpline number 1098 for help regarding crime against children, child labour or any child in distress. He said that the district administration is making continuous efforts to eliminate child labour, child protection and child begging so that a healthy life of such children can be ensured.
Meanwhile, on the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Avneet Kaur reviewed the steps being taken for the protection of helpless, needy and children facing legal cases during the quarterly meeting of District Child Protection Unit, Child Welfare Committee and Juvenile Justice Board. The Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee was directed to ensure the safety of children found late at night and the police officers should present the helpless and needy children before the Child Welfare Committee within 24 hours.
During the meeting, instructions were given that the families of the children rescued during child labour should be traced by the police officers so that they can be reunited with each other. The Additional Deputy Commissioner also reviewed the action plan prepared to prevent drug addiction among children and asked the Health Department officials to set up a separate room for children below 18 years of age in the De-addiction Centre, who can be given proper treatment there.
The District Drug Authority was directed that as per the instructions received from the Commission, medicines falling under Schedule H, X and X1 should not be sold to children and CCTV cameras should be installed outside the shops selling such medicines. Avneet Kaur personally talked to the beneficiary girl Kanchan, who is getting benefits under the PM Care for Children Scheme in the district and informed her about the schemes of various departments. He handed over the bank account passbook on the spot regarding the financial benefits to be received by the girl under the scheme. During this, the progress of cases under the sponsorship and foster care scheme being run for helpless and needy children was also reviewed and the concerned departments were requested to work together to further improve the living standards of the children.