Itanagar, Apr 3 (PTI) The Arunachal child rights body on Thursday submitted its observations and recommendations on issues concerning the children of the state to Chief Minister Pema Khandu during a meeting here.

The discussions centred around pressing child rights issues, including education, health, safety, and protection from abuse and substance addiction, the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) said in a statement.

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During the meeting, the commission Chairperson Ratan Anya emphasised the need for effective implementation of Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, to ensure free and compulsory elementary education for at least 25 per cent of students from weaker sections in private unaided schools.

It also called for the activation of the grievance redressal mechanism under Section 32 of the RTE Act, the statement said.

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Addressing the issue of bullying and substance abuse among children, the commission recommended framing common state guidelines for the constitution of anti-bullying committees in all schools, making their implementation mandatory from the 2025-26 academic session.

It further stressed the need to activate prahari clubs in schools to prevent drug and substance abuse, the statement said.

The APSCPCR also highlighted concerns regarding children with special needs (CWSN) and recommended the appointment of developmental paediatricians along with supporting staff for early detection and treatment of intellectual disabilities.

It proposed the establishment of child development centres in the state to support the holistic development of CWSN.

It welcomed the recent cabinet decision to expand the CM's 'Bal Seva' scheme to all registered orphan children and those residing in child care institutions (CCI), the commission statement said.

The Arunachal Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to expanding the scope of the chief minister's 'Bal Seva' scheme (CMBSS), as a part of which now all orphan children of the state will receive financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month.

In addition, the commission urged the government to extend liability pension under the CMSS scheme to children aged 0-3 years and to include therapy centers under the Deen Dayal Rehabilitation scheme to provide subsidised therapy costs for CWSN.

The APSCPCR stressed the need for formulating state-specific guidelines for regulating privately run daycare centres, creches, playschools, and pre-schools.

Expressing concern over the rising cases of sexual assaults on minors, particularly in hotels, lodges, and commercial establishments, the child rights body recommended mandatory digitalisation of visitor tracking registers, with regular monitoring by the police.

To combat drug and substance abuse among children, it called for the digital tracking and monitoring of the sale of Schedule H, H1, and X drugs in all pharmacies across the state, and advocated for the establishment of child-specific de-addiction centres through the state health department.

The chief minister appreciated the comprehensive report submitted by APSCPCR and reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring child safety, inclusive education, and overall development, the statement said.

He assured the child rights body that its recommendations would be reviewed in detail, and a roadmap would be developed in consultation with relevant departments.

As part of its awareness initiatives, APSCPCR presented the child rights and safety measures calendar to the chief minister, which was officially launched by the state governor during the state-level POCSO workshop on August 21, last year, the statement said.

The calendar aims to educate children on their rights through classroom teaching across the state. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including commissioner to CM Sonam Chombay, among others, the statement added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)