JALANDHAR
Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal today called upon destitute parents to utilize the Pangura (cradle) scheme to save the precious lives of abandoned infants.
He was chairing a District Child Welfare and Protection Committee (DCPC) meeting here at the district administrative complex.
Terming the Pangura (cradle) scheme a haven for abandoned infants, especially for the baby girls in the district, DC said that this unique scheme was started to check illegal sex selection and the dumping of newborns either in trash cans or on roadsides.
Divulging more, the DC said that the scheme was currently operational at two places including Nari Niketan and Bhai Ghanaiya Ji Charitable Trust (Unique Home).
Mr. Sarangal said that unwanted babies can be placed in the cradle outside these places anonymously.
He said that the parents of such children either didn't want them or were too poor to raise the children; hence they threw them in abandoned places. He said that the cradle scheme has been able to curb such incidents to quite an extent adding that children nurtured under the scheme could have a better life as several prosperous families adopted them after the completion of legal formalities.
He said that the scheme has come as a fortunate support for parents who were unable to bring up children on their own.
He further directed the District Program Officer Manjinder Singh to start coaching classes for children living in children's homes under the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign “ so that they can have better educational facilities in their homes. These coaching classes are to be held across all seven children's homes in the district as specialized teachers would be appointed by the administration for this purpose. Likewise, the DC also directed to start of awareness programs across all educational institutions to sensitize children and teachers about the JJ Act, POCSO Act, Child Labour Act, Child Marriage Protection Act, etc. He also reviewed the steps being taken for the rescue and rehabilitation of children engaged in bagging while directing the officials to accord top priority to this task.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner also directed the officials to arrange different activities in children's homes including yoga, sports events, arts and crafts, among others. He categorically mentioned that the district administration was duty-bound to protect the rights of these children as no stone would be left unturned to protect their childhood.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Amit Mahajan, DPO Manjinder Singh, DCPO Ajay Bharti, Member CWC Baldev Singh, Assistant Labour Commissioner Pardeep Kumar, LPO Sandeep Kumar, and other officials attended the meeting.