Project Jeevanjyot 2.0: Challenges galore in child protection programme

Social Security, Women and Child Development minister Dr Baljit Kaur had launched Jeevanjyot 2.0 with the aim of checking child trafficking and busting the begging trap that runs deep in the state. With a policy to conduct DNA tests on children found begging on the streets, particularly those accompanied by adults, this initiative is part of a broader effort to create a “beggar-free” Punjab and ensure the safety and security of children. But on ground, challenges remain for the District Child Protection Units as despite rounding up child beggars off streets, the verification and rehabilitation process remains unsuccessful.

After three child beggars escaped from Pingalwara’s care home on the intervening night of July 23 and 24, despite the security, District Child Protection Officer Taranjit Singh claims that Project Jeevanjyot 2 has been a success in terms of displacing or removing beggars off the streets at various parts of the city. “We have been taking into custody the perpetrators of begging mafias in various parts of city and after our action against woman beggars and child beggars, several locations like Ranjit Avenue and the Lawrence Road seem clear of any begging activity. But we have been now focused on religious places as we have received complaints even from the SGPC regarding abandoned children indulging in begging on the Heritage Street and around the Jallianwala Bagh,” he said.

Taranjit Singh said in Amritsar, for the last one year, 26 children have been rescued from begging racket and reunited with their families. Meanwhile, many kids manage to escape the child care homes or end up on streets after a few months.

“Children, not adult perpetrators, often are treated as criminals. There are only 10 CCIs approved in Punjab that take in rescued kids for immediate shelter and rehabilitation. The process to verify facts shared by the children take at least month or two and most of these kids manipulate officials or share wrong information,” said Anmol, a psychologist and counsellor at DCPU, Amritsar. She had been working on counselling the rescued five kids at Pingalwara. DCPO Taranjit Singh added, “By the time these child beggars are rescued and reach shelter homes, they are already manipulated to hide facts from us.”

Amritsar