Chandigarh, Aug. 15 -- State launches SMILE-backed rescue and rehabilitation drive

In a move to dismantle organised begging rackets and protect vulnerable children from exploitation, the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) has rolled out a state-backed rescue and rehabilitation initiative under the Union government's SMILE scheme (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise).

A state-level inter-departmental meeting, chaired by additional chief secretary (women and child development department) Sudhir Rajpal, brought together top police, child protection, health, labour, and social welfare officers to target the root causes of child begging and create a clear roadmap for its eradicatio...