Lok Sabha Question No. 1337 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-30
Subject: Child  Trafficking
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Khalilur Rahaman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1337

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 TH  JULY, 2024/ SHRAVAN 8, 1946 (SAKA)

CHILD TRAFFICKING

1337.   SHRI KHALILUR RAHAMAN:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government is  aware  that  child  trafficking  is  increasing across the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details and the number of children rescued from traffickers during the last five years, year-wise;

(c)  the  steps  that  has  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  control  child trafficking; and

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  data  on  the  children  sent  abroad  by traffickers and if so, the details thereof during the said period?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

(a): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles crime statistics reported to it by the States and Union Territories (UTs) and publishes the same in its annual publication 'Crime in India'. The latest published report is of the year 2022. The data on the number of victims trafficked (below 18 years)  during  the  last  five  years  does  not  show  any  consistent  trend  of increase in the numbers.

- (b): The number of victims rescued (below 18 years) during the last five years are given below:

|   S.No. |   Year |   Victims rescued (below 18 years) |
|---------|--------|------------------------------------|
|       1 |   2018 |                               2484 |
|       2 |   2019 |                               2746 |
|       3 |   2020 |                               2151 |
|       4 |   2021 |                               2691 |
|       5 |   2022 |                               3098 |

(c): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are 'State-List' subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility for preventing and countering  the  crime  of  child  trafficking  primarily  vests  with  respective States/UTs, who are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of law.

However, the Government of India also supplements the efforts of the States/UTs in this regard by providing them guidelines on preventing and countering  human  trafficking  including  child  trafficking  in  the  form  of various  advisories  issued  from  time  to  time.  The  Ministry  has  provided financial assistance to all States/UTs for upgrading/setting up Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) covering all Districts of States/UTs. Advisories have been issued to establish an institutional mechanism at all levels of the State/UT - State Headquarter level, District level and Police Station level with a view to address the issue of human  trafficking  in a  comprehensive

manner.  The  Ministry  has  also  been  assisting  the  States/UTs  in  holding 'State level conferences'  and  'Judicial Colloquiums'  with  a view  to sensitizing the Police/Law officers about the latest initiatives/developments for  addressing  the  issue  of  human  trafficking  in  a  focused  and  efficient manner.

(d): Specific  information  in  this  regard  is  not  reported  by  the  National Crime Records Bureau.

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