Srinagar: For the last three years, Jammu and Kashmir has rescued and rehabilitated 251 children who were found living in a street situation.
Figures accessed by The Kashmir Monitor this year so far at least four children have been rescued from streets in the union territory.
Last year five children were also rescued from streets in Jammu and Kashmir by the Social Welfare department. These children were put into rehabilitation centers started recently by the government.
In 2021, 246 such children were rescued on the streets and were put under rehabilitation in childcare institutions.
Data reveals that last year as many as 817 children were rehabilitated in the childcare institutes of Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2021, the roll of children living in a street situation, in the childcare institutes was 579.
In Jammu and Kashmir, 759, children were put in rehabilitation centers in 2020.
In the years 2019, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), NCPCR has directed all States/UTs for the identification of Hotspots for street children.
Last year, the Jammu and Kashmir government came up with a Draft Policy for Rehabilitation of Children in Street Situation (CISS) which recommended lodging FIRs against people employing kids.
The draft policy was framed by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights and Save The Children.
Under the policy, police and other agencies have been empowered to strictly enforce the laws against child labor.
In January this year, the government launched a major drive to bring back out-of-school children into the mainstream education system.
The government deputed officers at different bus stations, slum areas, and other vulnerable areas to identify street children in a bid to admit them to schools.
An official of the Social Welfare Department said they are continuing their mission of rescuing and rehabilitating the children living on streets in the union territory.
“Majority of these children belong to various states who during summers stay in Kashmir. These children have been usually spotted begging near signals, outside mosques and shrines. We have also rescued local children from tea stalls and car repair shops. They are being put into rehabilitation where they are being provided food and education,” he said.
