Published: 25th September 2017
The Railways Campaign to trace and rescue missing kids will now cover 75 of India busiest stations
Operation Muskaan, launched in 2015 to rescue children found on the railway premises currently covers only 35 railway stations.
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Operation Muskaan aims to rescue destitute, missing and trafficked children (Representational image)
With a rise in the number of cases of missing children being rescued from its premises, the Indian Railways on Monday has decided to extend its campaign in this regard to cover India's 75 busiest railway stations.
The railway ministry has now decided to bring 47 additional stations within the ambit of 'Operation Muskaan', taking the number of stations covered under it to 82, a statement from the ministry said on Monday.
With this, all the 75 'A1' category railway stations in the country would be covered under the campaign, it added. According to data provided by the ministry, in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) rescued 20,931 children, including 1,317 (944 boys, 373 girls) trafficked children, who were found from across the railway network.
Safe Smiles: Missing kids are often forced into trafficking and begging (Representational image)
In the current year, till August, 7,126 children have been rescued by the RPF, including 185 (124 boys, 61 girls) trafficked children. "The RPF rescues 20-25 of such children daily from trains and railway premises and hands them over to their parents, relatives, NGOs, child welfare committees or other rehabilitation institutions established by law," the statement said.
According to data provided by the ministry, in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) rescued 20,931 children, including 1,317 (944 boys, 373 girls) trafficked children, who were found from across the railway network
The RPF rescues 20-25 of such children daily from trains and railway premises and hand them over to their parents, relatives, NGOs, child welfare committees or other rehabilitation institutions established by law, the statement said.
Under the Operation Muskaan campaign, special kiosks and child help desks had been set up at the designated stations, which were being manned round-the-clock by the RPF personnel and members of NGOs nominated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, it added.