Assam Assembly to discuss child protection issues during budget session

Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary on Monday said child protection issues will be discussed in the House during the budget session.

A day will be fixed when all MLAs and UNICEF officials and other stakeholders will discuss issues being faced by children and ways to resolve those, he said while speaking at a function to distribute fellowship awards to journalists to commemorate World's Children Day here.

An amount of Rs 1 lakh will be earmarked for every legislator to create awareness about child protection and drug abuse in their respective constituencies.

Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) chairperson Sunita Changkakoti said child trafficking is the most inhuman problem faced by children in the state.

"We take suo motu cognisance of such cases but most of the accused manage to get bail which is a matter of great concern," she said.

UNICEF Northeast chief Madhulika Jonathan highlighted various problems faced by children in the region, particularly violence against them, and their educational and health issues.

Nine journalists were awarded the fellowship by UNICEF-Cotton University for covering stories on children's issues.