Child rights panel plans special drive to rescue child labourers - The HinduPublished - July 30, 2026 08:34 am IST - NelloreThe Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) will soon be undertaking special operations along with the Child Helpline-1098, the police, the railway police, and the Women and Child Welfare and other departments to rescue child labourers, identify missing children and reunite them with their parents, and provide counselling on a much wider scale.APSCPCR Chairman Vetukuri A.V.S.S.N. Raju announced this to the media after conducting a review meeting along with District Collector Himanshu Shukla, APSCPCR Member K.G.V. Padma Latha, ICDS Project Director Hena Sujan and District Child Protection Officer Suresh at the Collectorate here on Wednesday.During the two-day visit, Mr. Raju inspected children homes, Anganwadi centres, and social welfare residential hostels in the district. He said, “There is no compromise in protecting child rights. Any instances of harassment, exploitation, child labour, child marriage, or child rights violations should be immediately reported to the Child Helpline at 1098.”He emphasised that the APSCPCR was moving forward with an action plan to ensure that every child grew up safe, educated, and healthy. “An extensive study has been conducted in collaboration with commission members and experts on issues like rise of bad habits among kids, adverse effects of social media, and the trend of involving children in criminal activities,” he said.“A report has been prepared and it will soon be submitted to the government, with a proposal to implement a robust action plan based on its recommendations,” he said.Mr. Raju said a special State-wide campaign would soon be launched to create awareness among children, especially in the context of the psychological and social problems they face due to the influence of social media. He said the government would continue to ensure that the funds allocated for the welfare of children were not misused.Mr. Raju further said, “I will focus specifically on implementation of seat allocations for underprivileged students in both government and private schools, ensuring that no child is deprived of education. Strict legal action will be taken against those who employ child labourers, facilitate child marriages, or involve children in criminal activities such as the trafficking in drugs, marijuana, and alcohol.”Published - July 30, 2026 08:34 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }