State Government is making a committee in each village to keep a check on illegal migration of children. The initiative was thought after the rescue of around 130 children of Godda from Kerala’s Pallakad district two months back.
The role of the committee members from police, NGO members, Panchayati Raj, Jharkhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (JSCPCR) and labour department will be to counsel the parents not to send their kids outside the State for domestic work or for any work violating rights of a child. “The village committees set up are at their initial phases. We are surveying districts in convergence with other departments of state government for areas where trafficking is a regular affair,” JSCPCR member Ranjana Choudhary said on Monday.
Interestingly, the JSCPCR members have found that many parents in Naxal-affected districts handover children to agents in order to keep them away from the Maoists. “Parents in lohardaga and Gumla districts tell us that if they do not send their children outside the state, Maoists would compel them to join their groups. They feel their children would be safe,” Choudhary added.
Sources in the State Government informed that government is putting efforts to implement all the laws concerning child rights. “Bus Association and Railway Department in all the districts have been instructed to keep a watch on agents taking children for trafficking purpose,” a state government official on the condition of anonymity said.
The official mentioned that all the District Administration have been directed to make adequate space for providing formal education to children rescued from trafficking. Meanwhile, at Godda, Child Welfare Committee has requested the Education department to open schools for children hailing from Below Poverty line (BPl) families.
“We are talking to the rescued children of Godda about their interest for studies. Government aid is being provided to them. Those who want to study are lining up with schools. For the remaining ones, we are trying to encourage them for studies. Moreover, we are conducting a survey to know the financial status of parents of these children,” Godda Child Welfare Committee member PK Singh said.
Notably, around 32 children of Godda from New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh were also rescued at the same time when those from Pallakad were brought back. Singh added, “Government benefits to the UP and Delhi rescued children are also being ensured.”