Delhi government launches project to provide shelter, education to 30,000 street kids

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit today launched a project to provide shelter, education and other facilities to around 30,000 street and working children in the city.

Under the National Child Labour Project ( NCLP), around 40 help centres and as many as 100 creches are planned to be set up by Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Dikshit said her government was deliberating on providing shelter and education to street children as well as those child labourers rescued from various industries and a detailed plan of action may be announced soon.

DCPCR officials said the project would be implemented with the support of civil society organisations like NGOs and various government departments.

The Census of 2001 had put the figure of child labour in Delhi at 41,899 but various NGOs working for child welfare have put the figure at 2.5 lakh, according to DCPCR.

Launching the programme, Dikshit called for a "convergent" approach while formulating policies for providing comprehensive support to children working as child labours.

"We need a comprehensive, convergent approach towards the issue. Apart from rescuing the children from bondages, we should also provide them with livelihood resources to empower them in true means," Dikshit said.

"We are also looking into the possibilities of giving them some monthly financial assistance in line to the other pension schemes we have," she told a gathering.