Uttarakhand

• 02 Jan 2023

Uttarakhand Street Children Policy

Why In News?

• On January 1, 2023, Uttarakhand Women Empowerment and Child Development Secretary Hari Chandra Semwal said that the state government is going to bring a street children's policy for children living on the streets in the state. The draft of this policy has been prepared in accordance with the instructions of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Key Points

• Women Empowerment and Child Development Secretary Hari Chandra Semwal said that now opinions are being taken from various departments including labour, police, food, health, education, social welfare regarding the state street children's policy. Soon the policy will be finalized and placed in the cabinet for approval. In this policy, along with taking the cooperation of the society for the rehabilitation of such children, steps will also be taken from the CSR of various companies and institutions.
• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had some time ago asked all states to formulate a policy for rehabilitation of street children. In this episode, it was also started in Uttarakhand.
• It is known that the number of such children is negligible in mountainous areas, while in urban areas like Dehradun, Haridwar, Roorkee, Haldwani, Nainital, Kotdwar it is more. Children with child labour, begging, destitute, destitute and garbage pickers were classified into different categories.
• After this, a draft street children policy was prepared for the rehabilitation of such children. In order to connect such children with the mainstream of society, effective steps have been emphasized in coordination with the departments in terms of education, skill development, food, health, rehabilitation, employment, security.
• Hari Chandra Semwal said that now opinions are being taken from the concerned departments in this regard. Suggestions are also being taken from various sections of the society, NGOs. The Street Children Policy will be finalized after receiving opinions from stakeholders.