IEP Chandigarh, October 21
Punjab State Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur today directed the officials of the department to make the concerned officials more sensitised and to make public more aware about Mission Vatsalya. While presiding over the monthly review meeting of Social Security, Women and Child Development Department here today, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Mission Vatsalya Scheme has been implemented since April 2022 with an objective to ensure basic protection of rights of homeless children besides ensuring their all-round development. She also directed the officials to share the Mission details with respective Deputy Commissioners and apprise the officers of new guidelines regarding scheme through meetings, video conferences and training, so that each officer can have full knowledge of his or her role to implement mission Vatsalya efficiently and effectively at the grassroots level.The Cabinet Minister directed that while recruiting for the posts of Mission Vatsalya, priority should be given to children aged 18 years and above staying in ‘stay after care homes’. She said that under this scheme, the Punjab government has been preparing a plan to establish Bal Ghar in every district in the near future so that no child could feel insecure. It would also cater to the needs of those children who were living in Bal Ghar’s that were already filled beyond capacity, said the Minister. She also ordered to speed up the construction of reform house in Amritsar district. The Cabinet Minister further issued orders to speed up work of drafting new instructions regarding transfer of Anganwadi workers/helpers who requested for the same after their marriage. She said that a mechanism should be made in such a way that the transfer of Anganwadi workers should be done at the circle level. She further said that the promotion cases should also be considered on priority basis. During the meeting, Director of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Madhavi Kataria presented a power point presentation regarding the new guidelines of Mission Vatsalya.
