New Delhi, Sept. 11 -- Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday directed the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) to strengthen measures for child safety and rehabilitation, including a campaign to make Delhi free of child begging and mandatory police verification of school staff and transport personnel.
Chairing a meeting of the DCPCR, Gupta said NGOs, civil society organisations and resident welfare associations should be involved in the campaign to bring children out of begging and connect them with education, skills and employment.
"The government's priority is to bring children out of begging and connect them with education, skills and a dignified life," Gupta said. The Chief Minister also directed the commission to ensure mandatory police verification of school staff, including bus and van drivers, attendants and sanitation workers. She stressed that awareness programmes on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act should be conducted continuously.
The meeting also discussed the rehabilitation and future of children living in child care institutions. Gupta directed the commission to prepare details of children in after-care facilities, including their age, education, qualifications, skills acquired and duration of stay. "It is not enough to merely provide shelter to children leaving these institutions. They must be connected with education, skills and employment and helped to become self-reliant," she said.
Gupta also suggested livelihood support for children leaving institutional care, including providing autos to interested girls and e-rickshaws to boys through the Transport Department.
The Chief Minister further directed the DCPCR to inspect mid-day meals in schools and nutritional food provided at anganwadi centres during National Nutrition Month. She also called for reports on facilities and the conduct of workers at anganwadi and palna centres.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.