Punjab News: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann's Govt Launches 'Operation Jeevanjyot,' Issues Strict Orders for Child Welfare and Anti-Drug Education

With Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the helm, the government of Punjab has initiated a multi-faceted scheme to deal with child welfare, including a specific emphasis on child begging and drug abuse. The state has initiated a campaign called 'Operation Jeevanjyot,' which involves a series of tough actions for the protection of vulnerable children. This initiative follows a strong commitment by the government to eradicate child exploitation and to ensure a safe and dignified future for the state's youth.

DNA Tests to Combat Child Trafficking

A key element of "Operation Jeevanjyot" is a strict new directive to conduct DNA tests on children found begging with adults. Social Security, Women, and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur has directed all the Deputy Commissioners to put this measure into action. The aim is to confirm the relationship of the child with the adult who is with them, so that cases of child trafficking can be identified and prosecuted. If, through a DNA test, no biological relation is found, rigid legal action, even imprisonment, will be initiated against the adult. Before the test results are released, the child will be kept at a child care institution for protection.

Anti-Drug Curriculum in Schools

Concurrently, in another related action, the state government of Punjab has rolled out a new anti-drug syllabus in all schools run by the state for students in classes 9 to 12. The syllabus was prepared in consultation with experts and is intended to educate children about the risks of drug addiction and to empower them to be able to withstand peer pressure. This is part of the state's overall "Yudh Nashian Virudh" (War Against Drugs) campaign. The course employs interactive sessions, movies, and true-to-life narratives to train nearly 800,000 students from 3,658 schools, reflecting a proactive and preventative response to the drug issue.

Integrated Approach to Child Protection

The strategy adopted by the government is holistic and includes rescue as well as rehabilitation. Through the "Jeevanjyot" project alone, scores of children have been rescued from begging and reunited with their parents or placed in child care institutions. The government is also giving them access to education and financial assistance programs so they don't go back to the streets. The new steps, from DNA testing to in-school education, demonstrate a strong and multi-pronged approach towards addressing the underlying causes of child vulnerability in Punjab, marking the state's determination to develop a "Rangla Punjab."