Chief Minister Launches ‘Sarthak’ and ‘Rakshak’ Campaigns
Raipur, 17 June
On the occasion of the 15th Foundation Day of the Chhattisgarh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai launched the ‘Sarthak’ and ‘Rakshak’ campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of child rights. Addressing the event held at Pt. Deendayal Auditorium in the capital Raipur, he emphasized the significant role of the Commission in promoting awareness about child rights in the remote areas of the state.
The Chief Minister stated that new campaigns like ‘Sarthak’ and ‘Rakshak’ would be effective in creating public awareness about children’s rights. He further said that education is key to building an empowered society. In many remote areas of Chhattisgarh, especially in the Bastar and Surguja divisions, children often migrate to other cities in search of work at an early age and, due to a lack of awareness, become vulnerable to exploitation.
He said it is the Commission’s responsibility to identify such children and connect them to employment opportunities and government welfare schemes. The government is currently running several schemes focused on children and youth. He highlighted that schools, colleges, and coaching facilities are being made available in villages, and initiatives like Prayas, the Nalanda Campus, and the Tribal Youth Hostel in Delhi are aimed at providing better educational opportunities to students.
Commission Chairperson Smt. Varnika Sharma gave a detailed overview of the Commission’s work. Notably, the ‘Sarthak’ campaign focuses on spreading awareness about child rights, while the ‘Rakshak’ campaign aims to educate university students about child protection laws.
On the Commission’s Foundation Day, police personnel, Anganwadi workers, and girl students who have done exceptional work in promoting child rights awareness were honored.
Additionally, the Commission released new publications, including:
A new guidelines booklet
The ‘Rakshak’ booklet
Cartoon books on:
Good Touch, Bad Touch, Safe Touch
Human Trafficking
Right to Education
The event was attended by legislators Shri Sunil Soni, Shri Purandar Mishra, Shri Guru Khushwant Saheb, Chairman of the Civil Supplies Corporation Shri Sanjay Srivastava, Chairman of the Waqf Board Dr. Salim Raj, along with numerous public representatives, affiliated organizations, and social workers.