A great initiative of the Mann government of Punjab is continuously bringing about change in the society. The state government has started ‘Operation Jeevanjyot’ in the state. Under this, a dream was seen to give books to the children begging on the streets and the government seems to be succeeding to a great extent in this. In the last nine months, 367 children have been rescued from the streets, crossings and religious places of Punjab. This number is not just a statistic but a story of returning childhood and regaining dignity.
The Mann government of Punjab launched the campaign in September 2024. Most of the 753 rescue operations took place at places where incidents of child begging and rag-picking were common, such as railway stations, markets, temples and traffic signals. 350 rescued children were safely reunited with their families and 17 children whose families could not be traced were kept safely in children’s homes.
Out of these children, 183 were enrolled in schools and 13 younger children were included in Anganwadi centers. Also, 30 children from economically weaker families are being given assistance of Rs 4,000 per month so that they can continue their studies.