Nodal agency, court on cards to combat human trafficking

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Southern Zonal Council chaired by him here.

"It was decided to set up a nodal agency in this zone, and also a court in one of the states," he told reporters after the interaction.

It was also decided that the southern states would share information on human trafficking, the way they do on Naxal issues, Shinde added.

The meeting was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and his Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry counterparts, Kiran Kumar Reddy and N Rangasamy.

In her absence, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had deputed Finance Minister O Panneerselvam and Electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan.

Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani represented the state as Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was also not present.

Human trafficking had assumed serious dimensions, Shinde said while adding that special measures need to be taken for protection of women and children.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, is developing a national portal for tracking missing children and those found, he said.

"The project envisages creating an exclusive website for tracking of missing and found children and active participation of all concerned authorities is required", the minister said.

It was noted that zonal councils (like the southern one) were set up under the State Reorganisation Act as an advisory body to make recommendations on various issues of common interest of national and regional importance involving the Union and the states.