Hoshiarpur- Under the directions of Social Security and Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur and the guidance of Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain, Project Jeevanjot-2 is being run. A team of District Child Protection Officer Harpreet Kaur led by District Program Officer Gagandeep Singh and the District Level Task Forum for Child Begging Prevention conducted a raid at Talwara to prevent child begging.
During this raid, 3 children were freed from child begging from places like Kamahi Road, Datarpur Bus Stand, Jhir Di Khuhi Stand, Kamahi Devi Temple etc. and were presented before the Child Welfare Committee. The Child Welfare Committee counseled the children and took a decision for their welfare.
The District Child Protection Officer appealed to the general public that if you find a child begging or doing child labor, then inform him on Child Helpline 1098 so that your one initiative can change the life of a child. He said that information about the scheme being run by the Punjab Government for children aged 0 to 18 can be obtained at the District Child Protection Unit, Hoshiarpur or by calling Child Helpline 1098.
The District Child Protection Officer said that such raids have been happening before and they will continue continuously. If any parent is found making a child beg, then action will be taken against the parents. Regarding the safety and care of children, coordination can be done with the District Child Protection Unit, Ram Colony Camp, Hoshiarpur.
On this occasion, District Program Officer Gagandeep Singh said that as per the instructions issued by the department, DNA test will be done on the parents who ask children for alms and if the report does not match, appropriate legal action will be taken against them. Chairperson Child Welfare Committee Harjit Kaur said that so far two FIRs have been registered in different police stations in Hoshiarpur district in cases of child begging.