By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Friday approved setting up of the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a move that is expected to go a long way in protecting the rights of children in the state.
The proposal for setting up of the commission was examined by various departments of the State Government.
Talking to media persons after the Cabinet meeting here, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma informed that the proposal for setting up of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has been approved since Section 17 of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, says that the child rights commission should be set up in all states.
Giving details on the set up of the Commission, the Chief Minister said the Commission would comprise of one Chairperson and six members including two women representatives.
The Chief Minister also informed that the State Government has already framed and approved the rules for the proposed Commission.
“We want to effectively address the issue of protection of child rights through this State Commission,” the Chief Minister said.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCP), had on several previous occasions, slammed the State Government for the delay in constituting the Commission and had also condemned the prevalence of child labourers in the coal mining areas of Jaintia Hills.
The NCPCR had even sent a letter to the Chief Minister recently asking the State Government to constitute the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) at the earliest.