Operation Smile-11 and Poshan Abhiyaan: Initiatives to Rescue Children and Promote Health in the District

Gadwal: District Collector B.M. Santosh emphasized the importance of identifying street children engaged in begging and child labor under Operation Smile-11 to rehabilitate them and nurture them as responsible future citizens of India.

On Thursday, a coordination meeting for Operation Smile was conducted under the aegis of the District Welfare Department in the video conference hall of the Integrated District Offices Complex. Speaking on the occasion, the Collector stated that Operation Muskan will be implemented from January 1 to 31, 2025. Lost children will be identified and reunited with their parents. He further stressed that depriving children of their rights and childhood is a crime and that children below 14 years of age must attend school, not engage in labor. Strict criminal cases will be filed against employers hiring children below 14 years.

The Collector informed that children rescued during Operation Muskan will be enrolled in hostels and schools to ensure their education. Street children, beggars, and garbage-picking children will also be identified and rehabilitated under the program. So far, 18 child laborers have been rescued in the district.

The Collector instructed officials to work in coordination to completely eradicate child labor from the district. Special attention should be given to rescuing children working in brick kilns, construction sites, and other hazardous areas. Teams were directed to monitor hotspots such as railway stations and bus stations. Public awareness campaigns will be conducted to eliminate child labor.

To improve literacy in the district, the Collector urged officials to re-enroll school dropouts, especially in regions like Gattu, KT Doddi, Aiza, and Rajoli Mandals, where the dropout rates are high. He highlighted that children in these areas often leave school to work in cotton and chili fields, affecting the district's overall academic performance. Currently, 181 school dropouts have been identified, and efforts are being made to bring them back to school.

The Collector also directed officials to publish weekly reports on the rescue and rehabilitation activities under Operation Muskan to create transparency and accountability.

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Poshan Abhiyaan: Nutrition Committee Meeting

In a meeting of the District Nutrition Committee held under the Poshan Abhiyaan program, District Collector B.M. Santosh emphasized that a healthy population is essential for national development. He stated that providing nutritious food to pregnant women and nursing mothers ensures the birth of healthy children.

The Collector directed ANMs and ASHA workers at Anganwadi centers to actively distribute nutritious food to pregnant and lactating women and administer timely vaccinations. He also stressed the importance of providing nutrient-rich foods like Balamrutham and eggs to prevent anemia in pregnant women.

The Collector underlined that regular health checkups for children at Anganwadi centers, along with necessary vaccinations and treatments, improve their health during critical stages of development.

The meeting was attended by Additional Collector Narsing Rao, District Child Welfare Officer Sunanda, Agriculture Officer Sakriya Naik, Horticulture Officer Akbar, CPO Lakshman, SC Corporation ED Ramesh Babu, Additional PD Narsinglu, DSP Mogallayya, AR DSP Narender Rao, Child Welfare Chairperson Sahadevudu, Assistant Labor Officer Venugopal, DCPU Narsimhalu, CDPOs, NGOs, Childline staff, and other concerned officials.