It is good that reportedly the Child Welfare Committee Samba and District Child Protection Unit didn’t find any child begging during the anti-child begging drive held at Bari Brahmana but this doesn’t mean that child begging is not a reality in Jammu Province. There are so many places in Jammu and other parts of the province where children could be seen begging while mocking at the entities meant for stopping this menace.
Child begging is a persistent and troubling issue in the Jammu region, reflecting deeper social and economic problems. This unauthorized practice not only robs children of their childhood but also exposes them to exploitation, abuse, and long-term psychological and physical harm. Child begging seems to be a complex issue that requires immediate and sustained action from concerned agencies. By enforcing laws, providing education and vocational training, supporting families, and involving the community, the concerned stakeholders can create a safer and more hopeful future for the children involved in this social evil.
Eradicating child begging is not just a moral duty of the society as a whole but also a crucial step towards fostering a just and equitable society. The concerned agencies should target places where child begging is rampant like the religious places across the province, market hubs like Gole Market Gandhi Nagar, Rehri Zone Gandhi Nagar, traffic signals at the important crossings, etc.
Though, the child begging is a complex issue and could not be eradicated overnight but people sitting at helm should come out with a comprehensive strategy to contain the problem once and for all ensuring that this menace should never emerge again in the region. Though it is not advisable to check this menace by using force because no child begs by his or her choice rather it is the situation and sufferings of the young lot that force them to go out and seek alms for sustaining life.
Of course, one cannot deny the fact that in some cases, the child begging is part of organized crime as begging mafia often trap children into this ‘profession’ to mint money. All said and done, it is the moral duty and obligation of all the potent constituents of the society to stop this menace immediately and bail out the suffering lot as soon as possible to make Jammu Province safe for poor children.
