The Punjab Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal today gave a call to all Deputy Commissioners and police heads to launch a mission to check crimes against children in their respective districts and ensure safety of children in all public places. He said that government would soon launch a multi media campaign to generate awareness regarding various Acts protecting women and children.Inaugurating a Sensitization Workshop organised jointly by Mahatma Gandhi State Institute for Public Administration and Punjab State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights on Child Rights, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal advocated the need of strong mechanism for effective implementation of Child and Women Rights Acts enacted at National and State levels for providing much needed support to these vulnerable sections of the society. The sensitization process of the functionaries of the implementation agencies for schemes of social sectors needs to be further geared up by organizing workshops and seminars at divisional and district levels.
Kaushal directed them to ensure effective implementation of various Acts protecting women and children. He said that that social sector needs special focus of our efforts for giving a push to the overall growth in the country. He lamented that the officers posted in departments of state government looking after social security programmes lacks interest, which leads to tardy process in ensuring benefits of schemes envisaged for the poor strata of society. He said that this attitude must change and all including Government officials NGOs and individuals must actively involve in giving a push to the welfare programmes for children and women.
Kaushal asked the Child Rights Commission to launch a website and prepare a compendium illustrating various measures for protection of Child Rights which should be available with every functionary in different departments dealing with child protection projects.Strongly pleading for combating malnutrition amongst children,Kaushal said that while reviewing the implementation of midday meal scheme in Punjab schools had observed lot of deficiencies, which have been rectified. He expressed satisfaction that today 15 lakh children are getting midday meals thus contributing in improving the health status of children. Professing for adopting child specific approach, Kaushal said that Child labour was completely banned in Punjab and he has asked the members of civil society not to employ children as domestic help, at dhabhas and other unorganized sectors of employment. He said instead of giving them labour job, give them opportunity to pursue goals of quality education so that they could become a part of civilized society.
Lauding the work being done by the Central government by checking the violation of Rights of Children and women and also online tracking system for missing children, the Chief Secretary said that the Punjab Government departments and Child Rights Commission must follow suite and work in the same spirit and focus.Delivering the keynote address, Secretary Social Security department Punjab, Mr. Jaspal Singh highlighted the welfare schemes undertaken by the Punjab government for uplift of children and women. He gave a call to the people of the state for making adoption of orphan and abandoned children as a movement.In his welcome address, Mr. Sumer Singh Gurjar, Secretary Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights gave a detailed presentation of the objectives and functions of the Commission.Expressing his gratitude to the visiting delegates, Mr. Sukesh Kalia, Chairman Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights said that such workshops would be conducted at district levels also so that massive awareness campaign could be launched to educate the masses about child protection.Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Ms. Anita Punj, IPS, Prof. Ved Kumari Department of Law Delhi University, Mr. C.Roul IAS Principal Secretary School Education, Mr. Harish Nayyar Additional Labour Commissioner and Mr. Kamaljit Singh Sohi Road Safety Expert.