PATNA, Aug. 9 -- Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, during a function organised by the home department on Saturday, said the disappearance of children was a matter of concern for the state government. He said that if there was a delay in tracing missing children, the chances of finding them safely diminished, making it imperative to resolve such cases at the earliest. Addressing the Eastern Zonal Conference-cum-Consultation on Missing Children and Human Trafficking, Choudhary said his government was committed to bringing victims of human trafficking into the mainstream of society on a priority basis. The CM said the state government was working with a zero-tolerance policy against human trafficking. Alongside preventing trafficking, providing victims with a safe environment and rehabilitating them were among the government's priorities. "Through the Naya Savera 3.0 campaign, efforts are underway to create awareness, prevent trafficking, rescue and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking and child labour, and provide them with skills, employment and dignity," the CM said. He further said that time-bound action was being taken in human trafficking cases through real-time monitoring. Choudhary also asserted that checking outmigration would be a crucial factor in preventing human trafficking in the state. Justice Rajiv Ranjan Prasad of the Patna High Court said an FIR should be registered immediately in cases involving missing children. He said the first four hours were considered a "golden period", as there was a possibility of children being taken outside the state if no action was taken promptly. He said there was an instruction to cancel the licence of a hospital in case a newborn child disappeared from its premises, but no action had been taken even after three years. The Supreme Court has directed all states to establish special juvenile police units, but the directive was not being complied with, he said. "Now only nodal DSPs have been appointed, who are already burdened with other responsibilities. Missing children and human trafficking cases are human rights issues," he said. Supreme Court Justice A Amanullah said missing children and human trafficking were social issues. "Ninety per cent of people in society do not give a chance to rehabilitation. Many girls are not accepted by their family members. There is no lack of laws in the country; human sensitivity is necessary," he said. The Supreme Court judge also said that panchayats also needed to be involved in efforts to combat trafficking. "If we take small steps and work at the local level, there will be a big change," he said, adding that Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had also offered some suggestions. Additional Director General (Weaker Section) K S Anupam said Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) were effectively dealing with human trafficking cases in the state. "Presently, 48 AHTUs, including four each at airports and railway districts, are functioning in the state. A total of 44 DSPs (special crime) have been posted in the state for anti-human trafficking operations, and 1,208 cases have been transferred to them," she said. "From 2022 to June 2026, altogether 2,553 FIRs were registered, 7,150 victims were rescued and 2,698 human traffickers were arrested. Details of 10,788 children have so far been uploaded on the Mission Vatsalya portal so that missing children can be tracked," Anupam said. She added that from 2021 to November 2025, a total of 44,957 Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) had been rehabilitated through various Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in Bihar. "While 14,699 FIRs related to human trafficking were registered in 2025, 10,577 FIRs were registered till June 2026. In 2025, around 7,772 children, including 6,567 girls, were safely rescued by the police. Till June 2026, altogether 5,232 children, including 4,364 girls, were safely rescued," she said. On the occasion, presentations on the subject were made by nodal officers from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, as well as representatives of the BSF, SSB and RPF. During the programme, the CM also said that after signing an MoU for setting up a steel plant, the government was now emphasising the establishment of a nuclear power plant. The conference was attended by Patna High Court Judge Mohit Kumar Shah, Advocate General S D Sanjay, former Delhi High Court judge Mukta Gupta, Additional Solicitor General of India Archana Pathak Dave, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and former IPS officer P M Nair, among others....