Rescued children of the State may soon hope for proper rehabilitation in shelter homes. The Government is finally in a position to start its first shelter home in State capital by June 19. As far as other districts are concerned, funds for similar shelter homes in Dumka and Dhanbad have been sanctioned under Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).
“The first shelter home of the State will be inaugurated by CM Raghubar Das near ITI campus of the capital during the concluding ceremony of the Child labour Action Week on June 18 or 19. Around 50 rescued children below the age of 18 years particularly girls can be accommodated here. It will jointly be coordinated by Social Welfare department, labour department and UNICEF,” said Jharkhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (JSCPCR) member cum Action against Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation of Children (ATSEC) State Coordinator Sanjay Mishra during the State level programmes on World Day against Child labour at ATI on Friday.
Till date the Government authorities had to rely on local NGOs for the transit facilities after children were rescued from trafficking in metro cities like New Delhi or other States.
A large number of such children aged less than 18 years are girls. “Seeking the help of NGOs for accommodation of the rescued ones often creates complications. We had been demanding shelter homes since long,” Mishra added.
If the rescued girls are unaccepted by parents, they are either admitted in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) for further studies or given vocational training in order to regain confidence and live a meaningful life by the Anti-Trafficking groups.
Besides, the two modes, the provision of foster care for these children remains a worry for the government and social organisations. A member of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh assisting Government in anti-trafficking operations said, “We ought to spread awareness on foster care concept wherein a rescued child can be adopted by a couple. Government of India allots a monthly amount of Rs2,500 for children adopted under foster care scheme.”
Meanwhile, the Government has decided to conduct a month long campaign in all the 24 districts to keep a check on children indulged in child labour. Both the Child labour Action Week and one month Campaign on Anti-Child labour commenced on Friday in the presence of Social Welfare Minister louis Marandi.
Stating about the campaign, Mishra said, “We along with NGOs will identify child labourers in homes, offices, industries and hotels and request the owners to return them. Those unable to return the children will have to face legal actions. A fine of 1 lakh will also be imposed.”
An official data claims around 5 lakh children are forcibly working as child labourers. The percentage of state girls is high in domestic workers visible in metropolitan cities. 64 percent among the victimized children are tribals.