Chandigarh, July 23:
Under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government continues to take strong and impactful steps to ensure child rights and protection. As part of its ambitious Project JIWANJYOT 2.0, 20 child beggars were rescued today during special rescue operations carried out across 15 districts of the state. With today’s action, the total number of children rescued within just seven days has reached 169. This was disclosed by Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur.
Sharing further details, Dr. Kaur stated that the District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) of the Social Security Department conducted special drives at 29 locations across the districts of Barnala, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Mansa, Malerkotla, Moga, Patiala, and Rupnagar. Similar operations were also conducted in Sangrur, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Tarn Taran.
The Minister highlighted that due to systematic and strict ground-level enforcement of the campaign, several locations reported zero instances of children being found begging—an encouraging sign of the initiative’s effectiveness.
Of the 20 children rescued today, identity verification enabled 9 to be safely reunited with their families, while 6 children were placed in designated Child Care Institutions for safety and rehabilitation. Documentation for the remaining 5 children is currently under verification.
Dr. Baljit Kaur confirmed that no FIRs were registered in today’s cases, nor was there any immediate requirement for DNA testing. However, if required, DNA testing will be conducted based on the outcome of documentation verification.
Emphasizing the broader vision of the campaign, Dr. Kaur stated, “The Punjab Government is not only focused on eradicating child begging from the state but is equally committed to ensuring that rescued children are provided with quality education and integrated into the mainstream of society.”
She further directed the DCPUs to take strict legal action against any parents or guardians who continue to force their children into begging despite repeated warnings.
Dr. Baljit Kaur also made a heartfelt appeal to the public to support the government’s mission to eliminate child begging. She urged citizens to report such instances immediately by calling the Child Helpline at 1098.
