Punjab rescues 47 children from begging under project JEEVANJYOT 2.0

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, concrete and ground-level action is being taken across Punjab to eradicate the menace of child begging from its roots. As part of this initiative, the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development conducted a special state-wide campaign today and successfully rescued 47 children who were being forced into begging. This information was shared by cabinet minister Dr Baljit Kaur.

Providing further details, the minister stated that District Child Protection Units carried out 31 raids under the ongoing JEEVANJYOT 2.0 campaign.

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During these operations, the following district-wise data on child rescues was reported: Amritsar – one child, Barnala – two children, Bathinda – four children, Ferozepur – three children, and Fatehgarh Sahib – two children. Similarly, nine children were rescued from Gurdaspur, one from Fazilka, five from Hoshiarpur, two from Malerkotla, nine from Patiala, two from Rupnagar, and seven children from Sri Muktsar Sahib.

Dr Kaur further informed that 30 children were reunited with their parents after document verification, while 17 children, whose parents could not be traced, were placed in Child Care Institutions for proper care and protection.

The minister added that if the District Child Welfare Committee suspects that a rescued child is a victim of a serious offence requiring legal intervention, measures such as FIR registration and DNA testing may be initiated with the approval of the concerned Deputy Commissioner. She emphasized that such steps are essential to ensure any suspected abuse or trafficking is addressed using legal and scientific methods.

Issuing a stern warning, Dr Baljit Kaur stated that if parents are found repeatedly forcing their children into begging, despite counselling and awareness efforts, they may be declared unfit guardians and face strict legal action. If it is proven that any child was being used for begging as part of trafficking or criminal activity, stringent action will be taken against the perpetrators.

Highlighting the broader vision, the cabinet minister said that project JEEVANJYOT 2.0 is not just a rescue initiative but a holistic model for the safety, rehabilitation, and overall development of children. She noted that the campaign is a vital step toward realizing the dream of a “Rangla Punjab.” Dr Kaur also appealed to the public to refrain from giving alms to children involved in begging and urged citizens to immediately report such cases to the Child Helpline at 1098.