Srinagar, July 22: In a worrying and depressing trend, 214 children have gone missing in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five years, according to the central government figures.
As per the Union Women and Child Development Ministry from January 2018 to June 2023, 214 children have gone missing in J&K of which the majority are female children.
Figures further reveal that out of the total 214 missing kids, 76 are male and 138 female children.
The ministry further states that 83 children have found out in the same period.
The number of children who have gone missing in the past five years is 2.75 lakh, including 2.12 lakh girls, the Union Women and Child Development Ministry said on Friday.
It said 2.40 lakh missing children were traced during this period. According to data provided by Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, 2,12,825 (2.12 lakh) girls are among 2,75,125 (2.75 lakh) children to go missing since 2018.
Of the 2,40,502 (2.40 lakh) children traced, 1,73,786 (1.73 lakh) were girls, she said in the Lok Sabha. Irani, in a written response, said the ministry has developed the “TrackChild Portal”, which enables tracking of missing and traced children.
“One component of TrackChild Portal has “Khoya-Paya” where any citizen can report for any missing or sighted children. The TrackChild portal is implemented with support and involvement of various stakeholders namely Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Railways, State Governments/ UT Administrations, Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, National Legal Services Authority, etc. Standard operating procedures have been issued for the “TrackChild” Portal. Advisories have also been issued to all States and UTs including Director General of Police of all States & UTs and other stakeholders regarding implementation of TrackChild portal, the reply reads.
“The TrackChild portal is also integrated with the CCTNS or Crime and Criminal Tracking & Network Systems of the Ministry of Home Affairs which allows interoperability in terms of matching of F.I.Rs of missing children with database of TrackChild to trace and match missing children by the concerned State/UT police.”
“In order to reach out to all the children in distress, a 24X7 toll-free child helpline 1098 i.e. Childline, is operational. Childline 1098 provides emergency outreach services to children in difficult circumstances. Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Railways developed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for rescue and rehabilitation of children coming in contact with Railways who are lost/missing and in need of care and protection. Presently as on 31.03.2023 Railway Childline is functional at 135 Railway Stations and Child Help Desks are also available round the clock at 11 Bus Stands which provide outreach services for children in crisis linking them to emergency and long term care and rehabilitation services. The unaccompanied/missing children found at railway stations and bus stands are also produced before the Child Welfare Committee and their details are also uploaded into the TrackChild portal.”
The Ministry is also implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely “Mission Vatsalya” to support to the State and UT Governments for delivering services for Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) and Children in Conflict with Law (CCL) in difficult circumstances, including for the missing children. The Child Care Institutions (CCIs) established under the scheme support inter-alia age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care and counselling. The children in need of care and protection staying with their relatives or in foster care receive support under Mission Vatsalya.
