a) whether any estimate has been made about the number of street and destitute children in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
b) whether the Government has formulated any schemes for their welfare, education and rehabilitation;
c) if so, the details thereof; and
d) the funds allocated/released and utilised under such schemes during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise?
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)
(a) The Ministry of Women and Child Development have not made any estimate about the number of street and destitute children in the country. However, a rapid assessment survey of street involved children carried out by Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk (YaR), New Delhi and Don Bosco Research Centre, Mumbai in 16 cities of India has come to the notice of the Government of India. As per the aforesaid survey, the number of street involved children in 16 cities of the country, including metropolitan cities is as under:
Sl. No. Name of the City Number of Street involved Children
1. New Delhi 69,976
2. Mumbai 16,059
3. Kolkata 8,287
4. Chennai 2,374
5. Bangalore 7,523
6. Hyderabad 1,797
7. Trivandrum 140
8. Chandigarh 2,323
9, Guwahati 5,534
10. Dimapur 2,455
11. Imphal 851
12. Shillong 872
13. Vijayawada 2,238
14. Salem 5,752
15. Goa 1,287
16. Baroda 2,428
(b) & (c) : The Ministry of Women and Child Development is already implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) through State Governments/UT Administrations with the objective to create a safe and secure environment for overall development of children in need of care and protection, including street and destitute children. ICPS provides for setting up of Open Shelters for providing care and rehabilitation services to children in need of care and protection, including street children, in urban and semi-urban areas. The programes and activities at these Open Shelters inter-alia include age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, bridge education, linkages to the National Open School Programme (NOSP), health care, counselling etc.
(d) The details of the funds allocated/released and utilised under Integrated Child Protection Scheme during each of the last three years and the current year. State/UT-wise is annexed.
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