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12 Children Rescued in SAS Nagar During Anti-Child Begging Drive Under Project Jeewanjyot 2.0
SAS Nagar, July 17, 2025:
In a decisive step to combat child begging, the SAS Nagar District Administration conducted a special rescue operation under the Punjab Government’s Project Jeewanjyot 2.0, following the directions of Social Security, Women and Child Welfare Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur.
Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal informed that 12 children involved in begging were rescued during the evening drive. The joint operation was led by District Child Protection Officer Navpreet Kaur and District Programme Officer Nikhil Arora. The rescued children have been shifted to registered Child Care Institutions pending verification of their identity and documents, to ensure proper care and protection.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment, DC Komal Mittal stated that the protection of child rights is a top priority and such rescue operations will be conducted regularly to protect vulnerable children and uphold their dignity.
District Child Protection Officer Navpreet Kaur underlined that using children for begging is a punishable offence under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The law mandates strict action against individuals found employing children in begging, with provisions for imprisonment and/or fines.
Chairman of the Child Welfare Committee, Kulwant Singh Guru, said that in cases where individuals claiming to be parents fail to produce valid ID or birth documents, DNA testing will be recommended to the Deputy Commissioner for approval.
The district administration has urged citizens to immediately report any instances of child begging so that prompt and effective action can be taken to safeguard the rights and future of such children.