WB plans to set up child protection committees at villages

The West Bengal government has plans to set up child protection committees at the grassroot level to protect children from being abused, Women and Child Development Minister Dr Sashi Panja has said.

The minister was addressing a panel discussion for child protection rights at American Center here.

"We wish to set up Child Protection Committees at the block and village levels to ensure there is not a single incident of child abuse and every child's voice is heard," she said during the discussion.

Panja said the government has raised budgetary allocation amount for child development from last year.

Director of American Center, Jamie Dragon said in the US, 90 per cent of child abuse victims know their perpetrator.

The Secretary of child rights protection NGO Mukti Rehabilitation Centre, K. Viswanath spoke about efforts to create a healthy environment for children to grow up.

Actress-activist Nandana Dev Sen, State Commission For Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti and others discussed various aspects of child rights in the discussion on Thursday.