Chandigarh: In a landmark shift toward child protection, the Punjab government is set to amend the Punjab State Prevention of Begging Act, 1971, aligning it with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. This overhaul will decriminalize child begging and focus on rehabilitation, identity verification, and post-rescue care, marking a systemic departure from treating rescued children as offenders.
A major reason driving the reform is a serious flaw exposed in the state’s Project Jeevanjyot 1.0, launched in September 2024. Of the hundreds of children rescued under the initiative, 57 later went missing—most due to the lack of a permanent address or identification. This prompted calls for stronger safeguards, especially scientific tools like DNA testing, to trace origins and ensure long-term protection.
Cabinet Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, emphasized the paradigm shift: “We are not just changing a law, we are changing the lens through which we view street children—not as offenders, but as victims in need of urgent care.”
Over nine months of Project Jeevanjyot 1.0, authorities conducted 753 raids and rescued 367 children. Of these, 183 were enrolled in schools, 13 joined Anganwadis, 17 were given shelter in Child Care Institutions, and 150 were sent back to their families in other states. Among those restored to their families, 30 received education sponsorships of Rs 4,000 per month, 16 got pensions or welfare assistance, and 13 were covered under health insurance.
Despite these outcomes, the missing children cases highlighted a gap between rescue and long-term accountability. The proposed amendment aims to resolve this by replacing punishment with protection. Unlike the existing law, which penalizes children found begging, the Juvenile Justice Act recognizes them as “Children in Need of Care and Protection” under Section 2(14), requiring that they be produced before a Child Welfare Committee for appropriate action.
Key provisions of the JJ Act include Section 76, which punishes those who use children for begging with up to five years’ imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine, and more if the child is maimed. Sections 77 and 78 impose harsh penalties for administering intoxicants or exploiting children for illegal acts.
Under Jeevanjyot 2.0, Punjab has introduced DNA testing to confirm biological relationships between rescued children and accompanying adults—often self-identified as guardians. Many infants were found tied to teenage girls on the streets, with inconsistent documents or conflicting testimonies. DNA samples are collected under district magistrate supervision and tested free of cost at forensic labs. If a match is confirmed, the child is returned to the family. If not, the child is declared legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee.
Children are classified into three groups: orphaned (no surviving parents), abandoned (left without guardianship), and surrendered (legally given up by parents). Depending on status, they are placed in institutional care, foster care, or adoptive homes via the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
The state is also integrating legal safeguards from the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Section 139 mandates 10 years to life for kidnapping children for begging, and a minimum of 20 years if the child is maimed. The law presumes guilt unless the adult can prove innocence. Constitutional Articles 23 and 24, which prohibit child exploitation and forced labor, are also being enforced.
Jeevanjyot 2.0 has already yielded results. On July 17, 2025, 21 children were rescued in 17 coordinated raids across Mohali, Amritsar, Mansa, Barnala, and Faridkot. In Mohali alone, 13 children were rescued, with DNA testing now awaiting CWC orders. Bathinda district has begun DNA identification of 20 children.
The programme is supported by Mission Vatsalya, Project SMILE, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and corporate CSR funds.
