the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday that the Goa Children’s Act 2003 would soon have two or three new amendments, the file for which would be moved in the upcoming Legislative Assembly session.
Speaking at a sensitisation workshop organised by the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) at the Gazetted Police Officers’ Institute in Altinho, Sawant said that it was high time the Act was amended. He said that the chairperson of the Commission Adv Sushma Mandrekar had already suggested two or three amendments to the Act and while the same couldn’t be discussed in the last Assembly, it will definitely be taken up for discussion this time.
The CM also stressed the need for all legislators to take up the issue of child rights seriously and welcomed suggestions from all stakeholders.
“Children are the future of India and the Act needs to be discussed by all legislators,” said Sawant, adding, “Till today we find child labour prevalent in the state. We need to sensitise the common man about the Act so that they can alert officials when they see child labour, abuse and other issues surrounding children. Sensitisation of police is a good start but it is not only police who need to be sensitised,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) Act 1996 will also be amended in the coming Assembly session, Children and Women’s Development Minister Vishwajit Rane told The Goan on Friday.
“Right now GSCW doesn’t have many powers. It doesn’t have power to penalise offenders against women. It has no teeth. The Act must be amended to give the Commission more powers. The file will be moved in the coming Assembly,” said Rane.
