Srinagar: Six hundred street children have been identified and registered with the Directorate of Mission Vatsalya of the Social Welfare Department in Jammu and Kashmir.
These children are among the most vulnerable members of society, facing a range of challenges such as poverty, lack of education, and exposure to dangerous environment
According to the officials, the department has sent a proposal for the rehabilitation of street children in the UT.
Harvinder Kour, Director, Mission Vatsalya J&K told Greater Kashmir that they have registered 600 street children who were mostly seen begging on the roads.
Kour said that now these children have been shifted to shelter homes.
She said that they have received guidelines from the government regarding the registration and rehabilitation of the street children.
“We provide them food, shelter, even register them in the schools as well till these children reach 18 years of age. After that, they can work, but our department ensures that they should not get involved in any illegal work,” she said.
Kour said that there will be a comprehensive policy for street children. “Under this policy, we will involve different departments like the education department, health department and labour department. Education department will take care of their school admissions, the health department will take care of their nutrition and health status,” she said.
Kaur said, besides, street children, the department has received few cases of child labour. “If any child labour case visits our department, we consider their cases as well. But we do not handle such cases and don’t have any policy for them, “she added.
Mission Vatsalya is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Government of India’ s Ministry of Women and Child Development aimed at “building a protective environment for children.
The scheme is implemented by the Social Welfare Department through J&K State Child Protection Society. (Mission Vatsalya) is run through District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) at the district level with support from statutory bodies CWCs and JJBs.
Last year, the Jammu & Kashmir government prepared the draft policy for rehabilitation of children in street situations (CISS).
According to the draft policy, its main objective is to take steps for identification and suitable rehabilitation for children in street situations.
The policy has proposed rehabilitation of such children in line with the 2016 Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme.
“A sum of Rs 25000 to be reimbursed to the child in accordance with the provided law, with a payment of Rs 5000 from the District Child Rehabilitation Fund and Rs 20,000 from the employer,” it stated.
As per the policy, the administration has to rehabilitate migrant children who are doing odd jobs or begging at their respective places.
“If a migrant family has arrived to the city owing to a lack of means of sustenance, choosing the livelihood choice of performing odd tasks begging or selling things on the streets or even doing some labour involving children, the DICPU may visit the family and prepare an SIR too present family’s situation,” it stated.