• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, August 23, 2022 : The Tripura cabinet today approved ‘Draft Rehabilitation Policy for Street Children’ to protect their right to education and provide a better livelihood for those children who are roaming and staying on the streets across the state.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat here in Agartala city on Tuesday afternoon, the Cabinet Spokesperson and ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury said “A draft policy for rehabilitation of street children in child care institutions run by the government and various NGOs across the state has been approved by the council of ministers today. The policy will be implemented shortly.”

“This policy will look into the interest of street children who went off the track of leading a good life and will be brought back in the mainstream of livelihood for establishing them in their life. In the state, we often see that many children at a tender age get involved in begging, waste-picking, consuming narcotic substances and even become drug peddlers. For these reasons, the state government took this rehabilitation decision to give new livelihood to these children”, he added.

Chowdhury further stated that “As many as 6,000 street children will be provided benefits under this scheme according to the draft policy. They will be shortlisted before handing over to orphanages’ authorities run by the government and NGOs as well. The Child Welfare Committee will look after the proper implementation of the policy.”

With an objective to make sure that each and every child gets equal opportunity to shine in their life, this policy has been drafted under the Social Welfare and Social Education department. He said “Under this policy, the government will provide Rs 4,000 montly stipend to each and every child. At present, Rs 2,000 stipend on monthly-basis were given to the children in various orphanages across the state. Every child will get Rs 4,000 as stipend per month.”