Maharashtra govt gives push to improve lives of street kids

A target has been set to enrol at least 20 per cent of rescued street children in schools every month. Representational pic/iStock

In a bid to rescue and rehabilitate street children, 31 mobile teams will be deployed across 28 municipal areas, with a budget allocation of Rs 8.06 crore to back the operation. The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved the statewide expansion of ‘Mission Vatsalya', which is currently implemented on a pilot basis in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur.

According to government officials, the scheme is aimed at helping street children become a part of mainstream society. Under this scheme, children will be given access to education, healthcare and other government welfare schemes.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' office issued a statement which mentioned that NGOs will be roped in to provide services and meet the desired goals. "Child-friendly vans will each have a team of five people - a counsellor, a teacher, a female staff member, a caretaker and driver. To ensure safety, the vehicles will be equipped with GPS tracking and even have CCTV cameras installed," Fadnavis stated.

The proposal tabled by Aditi Tatkare's Women and Child Development Department mentioned that each child will be assessed through a social investigation report, and a personalised rehabilitation plan will be created based on the child's specific needs. As per the scheme, a target has been set to enrol at least 20 per cent of the children into schools every month. Funds will be given to partner organisations every quarter, and district women and child development officers will regularly review progress.

The state cabinet even approved the modernisation of industrial training institutes (ITIs) through public-private partnerships. The policy aims to transform ITI centres as per the demand of the industries. The Maharashtra Institute for Transformation will work as a strategic partner for the implementation of this policy.

Govt to promote use of artificial sand

In order to address the issue of over-extraction of natural sand, the state government has decided to promote the use of artificial sand for the public construction industry.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule's Revenue Department presented a proposal wherein artificial sand produced with the help of crushers from quarry waste and stone can be an alternative for natural sand. The state cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal and even decided to charge a rate of R200 per brass instead of the R600 per brass currently levied.

However, while doing so, the revenue minister's department has taken care of the environmental issues too. "For setting up units to produce artificial sand, one will require to obtain clearances from the district administration, forest department and in line with environmental regulations," the statement issued by the state government stated.

Also, to regulate the quality, the government has clarified that artificial sand should be used as per the norms of the Bureau of Indian Standards. "The new policy will not only reduce dependence on natural sand, but even create a lot of employment opportunities," the proposal said.

Further, to ensure effective implementation of the new policy and have proper checks, an independent monitoring mechanism will be created.