Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Minister for Women and Child Development Vishwajit Rane said that strict action will be initiated against people abusing babies and small children for the sake of begging activities through police.
“Strict action will be initiated against the people who are abusing babies and small children for the sake of begging activities through police,” said Rane
He further said that the Department, Child Welfare Committee North and South Goa, and other stakeholders conducted rescue operations at various places in the state and from June 22 till date, 08 Children have been found while begging and rescued.
“Out of the 08 Children, 07 children rescued while begging at Mapusa Goa and 01 children is transferred from Child Welfare Committee Maharashtra,” he informed.
Rane informed that 4 Children have been released to their respective Parents/family members further to produce before the Child Welfare Committee, Osmanabad, State of Maharashtra, while 1 child has been released to his respective Parents/family members further to produce before the Child Welfare Committee, Nashik State of Maharashtra.
The Minister said that his Department is unaware of the facts regarding the study titled “Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children”, but various awareness programs have been conducted through Childline in Panchayats to stop child sex tourism in Goa.
The State of Goa has no separate rehabilitation centre for children of commercial sex workers or children who are victims of the commercial sex trade.
“The Children of commercial sex workers are not discriminated against and are rehabilitated in regular Child Care Institutions (CCI’s) with other Children as per the orders of respective Child Welfare Committee. They all live and grow up with other Children in the CCIs,” he informed.
Rane said that Child Care Institutions (CCIs) provide various facilities to the Children such as free Education, Healthcare, Counseling facilities, skill training, vocational training and even Employment after they attain 18 years of age.
