Shashi Panja inaugurates child-friendly corner in Book Fair

Kolkata: Minister of state for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Shashi Panja on Wednesday inaugurated West Bengal State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBSCPCR), a child-friendly corner at the 44th Kolkata International Book Fair 2020. Actor Chiranjeet Chakraborty and singer Surojit Chatterjee were also present on the occasion.

"This is the third time when such a stall has been put up at the book fair, with the aim to create awareness among children and their parents about the rights of children and how should such child rights be upheld. The state department of women and child development has extended full support for setting up the facility," said Panja, after releasing a book based on protection of child rights.

There are posters, books and various publicity materials available for the purpose of awareness and various interactive activities, which will be held every day to attract children. Children will be encouraged to recite poems, draw, tell stories and take part in other similar activities through which WBSCPCR will try to deliver the message of awareness.

Panja said that there would not have been any law if there would not have been any crime.

"We have to focus on the prevention of child trafficking and other crimes. Child rights and their security should be given utmost priority. So there should be such child-friendly corners at every fair. The book fair stall will have activities every day on the part of the WBSCPCR, to encourage participation from the children and their parents," she pointed out.

It might be mentioned that Kanyashree, an initiative started by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2011, aims to incentivise school education among girls to prevent girl trafficking and child marriages.

Kanyashree was launched to prevent child marriage in economically-weaker sections under an annual household income of Rs 1.2 lakh.

'Kanyashree Prakalpa' is a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at retaining girls in schools and other educational and skill development institutions along with preventing child marriage.