SC seeks replies from all states on number, condition of migrant children

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked all the state governments to file replies and apprise about the number and condition of migrant children that are in their states.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde directed all the states to file replies and provide the number of migrant children`s who are there in the State and the condition of those children.

The Bench was hearing a PIL filed by Child Rights Trust seeking directions for protection of the fundamental rights of migrant children and children of migrant families. 

The petitioner, The Child Rights Trust, had moved the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of fundamental rights, under Articles 14, 15, 19, 21, 21A, 39 and 47 of the Constitution, of migrant children and children of migrant families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bangalore-based NGO had sought direction from the top court to the Union of India and others, to set up children`s assistance centres in all major areas of concentration of migrant labour households that would facilitate migrant families to get information and assistance about the basic needs relating to health care, food security, education for children.

The petitioner also sought direction that the Anganwadi centres in villages should extend their services to all migrant children and households and to provide mid-day meals and rations free of cost to migrant children at their homes.

The petitioner sought a direction from the top court that the respondents should provide basic food and nutrition to migrant children and migrant workers through the ICDS Scheme, targeted public distribution system and other welfare schemes covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 for children in the ages of 0-14 years.

The petitioner also sought that the respondents should be directed to report on the provision of health services of immunization, health check-ups, primary health care services to children of migrant workers.

It also sought that the pregnant and lactating mothers also be given due care and treatment, through ICDS and other schemes including the Primary Health Centres both at their place of migration and source villages and schemes under the National Health Mission.

The petitioner also sought that necessary direction be issued to the Respondents, UOI and others, to give data on the out of school migrant children from all the States and to provide an action plan on providing a temporary education plan for migrant children and an action plan on how migrant children will be brought back to schools when schools start.