RAMBAN: The District Legal Services Authority Ramban today organized an ‘Orientation cum Introduction' session on the newly launched National Legal Services Authority's national campaign SAATHI to provide legal identity and access to social welfare for destitute children.

The campaign aims to bridge the gap in accessing essential government benefits, education, and healthcare for children who lack Aadhaar cards.

The session was aimed to explore the possibilities for effective collaboration of the district judiciary with the stakeholder departments of the district administration to identify and assist the destitute children which are defined in the scheme as: Children under the age of 18 who are without family support, guardianship, or a stable source of shelter, protection, and care-including but not limited to children living on streets, in slums, or railway stations, orphans living/not living in child care institutions, abandoned children or those rescued from trafficking, begging, child labor, children residing in informal shelters or unregistered child care homes Missing children recovered and not restored to family.

The session was held under the guidance of DLSA Secretary Priyanka Mahajan, who also serves as the Chairperson of the SAATHI district committee. The orientation session was attended by a number of officers/officials of the district administration including Tehsildars of all tehsils, Chief Medical Officer, Panel Lawyers and Para Legal Volunteers etc.

The program was also attended by the representatives of the district women and child development unit and Child Care Institutions.

In her address, the Secretary highlighted the importance and significance of this campaign which is primarily aimed at providing legal identity and facilitates social welfare access to destitute children. Many such children, living on streets or in care homes, lack Aadhaar - a crucial gateway to availing government benefits, education, healthcare, and protection under various child welfare laws.

The campaign aims to bridge this gap through survey, Aadhaar registration, and legal assistance, in a mission-mode approach led by District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs).