NEW DELHI: Nearly two months after the Delhi government announced its plan to make the capital beggar-free, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) is working on a roadmap to identify, track and rehabilitate children found begging on streets and at major road intersections.
In August, CM Rekha Gupta had proposed the campaign to protect children forced into begging and provide them with a secure future through rehabilitation and access to education.
Following the proposal, Delhi Police mapped around 2,500 children found begging at public places and major road intersections to support the proposed ‘Child Beggar-Free Delhi’ campaign, which will be implemented across all 13 districts of the capital.
Speaking to this newspaper, DCPCR chairperson Om Prakash Vyas said that the commission had held discussions with child protection officers, local police personnel, station house officers across districts and non-governmental organisations to understand the needs of children living and working on the streets.
“We have spoken to all the stakeholders, including child protection officers, local police, concerned SHOs in every district, and have also roped in NGOs to help us identify what assistance these children need and the age groups they belong to,” Vyas said.
The commission plans to categorise the children according to their age and educational needs. Children aged between four and 10 years will be assessed for admission to formal schools, while those aged 11-15 who cannot return to the formal education system may be considered for vocational training.
“Those who cannot get back to formal schooling will be given vocational training in skills such as plumbing, so that they can earn for themselves and their families instead of begging on the roads,” Vyas said.
He added that the commission would also explore the possibility of securing admissions for these children in private schools.
Categorising kids
The commission plans to categorise the children according to their age Children aged between four and 10 years will be assessed for admission to formal schools, while those aged 11-15 who cannot return to the formal education system.
