Lok Sabha Question No. 1304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Status of Inter-District Movement of Vulnerable Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ms Iqra Choudhary, Shri Pushpendra Saroj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1304

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026

## STATUS OF INTER-DISTRICT MOVEMENT OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN

## 1304.   MS. IQRA CHOUDHARY : SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ :

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of children rescued in cases of trafficking, child labour/missing children who  were  subsequently  transferred  across  districts  for  rehabilitation,  care or restoration in Uttar Pradesh during the last three years;
- (b) the  number  of  cases  where  follow-up  reports  from  receiving  districts  were  not recorded within prescribed timelines;
- (c) whether any lack of inter-district tracking resulted in children being re-reported as missing, trafficked/untraceable, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any institutional gaps were identified in coordination between District Child Protection Units, Child Welfare Committees and State authorities in tracking such cases;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the measures being taken to establish mandatory inter-district tracking, data sharing/accountability mechanisms for vulnerable children in the said State?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (f): (The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015), as amended in 2021 is the primary legislation for ensuring safety, security, dignity and wellbeing of Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) as well as Children in Conflict with  Law  (CCL).  It  caters  to  their  basic  needs, care,  protection,  development,  treatment, rehabilitation and social re-integration.  The Act creates statutory structures at the State and District  levels  which  include  State  Child  Protection  Society,  Child  Welfare  Committees, Juvenile  Justice  Boards  (JJBs),  District  Child  Protection  Units.  It  also  provides  for establishment of Child Care Institutions (CCIs).

As per Section 2 (14) (ii) and (ix) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act) as amended in 2021, a child who is found working in contravention of the provisions of this act or labour laws for the time being in force or is found begging, or living on  the  street  and  who  is  found  vulnerable  is  included  as  a  'child  in  need  of  care  and protection', among others.

The Government of India has taken several steps to prevent child labour including enactment of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.   The Act inter- alia covers complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years of age in any occupation or process and prohibition of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in  hazardous  occupations  and  processes.   It  also  provides  for  stricter  punishment  for employers for violation of the Act and made the offence as cognizable.

Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory dated 17.10.2022 to State Governments/UT Administrations  regarding  appointment  of  Child  Welfare  Police  Officers  and  Special Juvenile Police Units under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 as these play a critical role in dealing with crime against children. Further, MHA has also issued another advisory dated 30.04.2024 to all State Governments/UT Administration to take pro-active steps to eliminate child labour including registration of FIRs, ensuring better coordination between  law  enforcement  agencies  and  other  stakeholders  like  NGOs;  Anti-Human Trafficking  Units;  District  Child  Protection  Units;  Railway  Protection  Force;  Labour factories etc., sensitizing the law enforcement agencies about gravity of child labour by way of training/workshops/seminars etc.

Section 143 of BNS defines trafficking as recruiting, transporting, harbouring, transferring, or receiving a person for exploitation using various coercive means. The section outlines severe punishments for trafficking, with higher penalties for trafficking multiple persons or children. Further, Section 144 of BNS, 2023, deals with the exploitation of trafficked persons, including  sexual  exploitation.  The  section  outlines  different  punishments  for  exploiting trafficked children and adults, with distinct terms of imprisonment and fines. Section 95 of BNS related to hiring, employing or engaging a child etc.to commit an offence, Section 99 of BNS related to buying a child for the purposes of prostitution are also relevant in the context of human trafficking. Additionally, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 also recognizes trafficking as a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

Further, Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely Mission Vatsalya through the State/ UT Governments on pre-defined cost sharing basis between the Centre and the State Governments to deliver various services for children in difficult circumstances, which include both institutional and non-institutional care services. The Child Care Institutions (CCls) established under the Mission Vatsalya scheme support, inter-alia, age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. Support under non-institutional care is provided by way of sponsorship, foster care and after care to children in need of care and protection.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development regularly follows up with the State/ UT Governments  so  as  to  ensure  better  implementation  of  the  processes  and  procedures mandated under the JJ Act and Rules.

Further, 'Police' and 'Public Order' are the "State' subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility for preventing and countering the crime of human trafficking,  therefore,  primarily  vests  with  respective  States/  Union  Territories,  who  are competent to deal with such offences under extant provisions of law.

As per the information provided by NCRB, the number of children rescued in Uttar Pradesh in cases of trafficking during 2021 to 2023 is at Annexure-I. The number of Children Missing and recovered in Uttar Pradesh during 2021 to 2023 is at Annexure-II.

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## Annexure-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1304  FOR  ANSWER  ON  06.02.2026  BY  MS  IQRA CHOUDHARY AND SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ

## The number of children rescued in Uttar Pradesh in cases of trafficking during 2021 to 2023

| 2021       | 2021    | 2022       | 2022    | 2023       | 2023    |
|------------|---------|------------|---------|------------|---------|
| Trafficked | Rescued | Trafficked | Rescued | Trafficked | Rescued |
| 40         | 40      | 73         | 73      | 66         | 64      |

Annexure-II ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1304  FOR  ANSWER  ON  06.02.2026  BY  MS  IQRA CHOUDHARY AND SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ The number of children missing and recovered children in Uttar Pradesh during 2021

## to 2023

| 2021                   | 2021            | 2022                   | 2022            | 2023                   | 2023            |
|------------------------|-----------------|------------------------|-----------------|------------------------|-----------------|
| Total children missing | Total recovered | Total children missing | Total recovered | Total children missing | Total recovered |
| 5294                   | 2764            | 5924                   | 3750            | 6167                   | 4110            |

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