Maharashtra's 'Mobile Squad': A New Hope for Street Children

The Maharashtra government is introducing mobile vans with social workers to rehabilitate street children by providing education, medical care, and counselling. After a successful pilot, 31 vans will be deployed across cities, aiming to enhance the lives of 70,000 street children through comprehensive support services.

The Maharashtra government plans to launch a new initiative using mobile vans to rehabilitate street children in urban areas. This initiative follows a successful pilot program and aims to provide the children with medical care, counselling, and support to pursue education.

Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare announced that the program, which has already been tested in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur, will now have 31 mobile vans operating across 29 municipal corporations, funded with a budget of Rs 8.06 crore.

The project's goal is to offer comprehensive care and opportunities to street children. Services include enrolment in schools, medical screening, de-addiction support, and counselling, all facilitated by skilled teams aboard the child-friendly vans. The initiative seeks to transform the lives of street children, ensuring they receive education, nutrition, and essential healthcare.

(With inputs from agencies.)