Supreme Court to Hear Child Safety Plea

The Supreme Court of India will hear the Punjab Government's plea for the urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre on September 2, related to dues from market and rural development fees. This plea stems from a larger legal battle initiated last year regarding the non-reimbursement of statutory fees the Punjab Government levied on behalf of the Centre during food grain procurement. Separately, the court will also hear a petition from the NGO 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan' on September 24, which seeks the implementation of the Centre's child safety guidelines in schools. This plea follows alarming incidents of sexual assaults on children in schools, including a recent case in Badlapur, Maharashtra. Despite guidelines established in 2018, only five states have implemented them, raising concerns about children's safety in educational institutions. The NGO argues that the failure to notify these guidelines has led to serious lapses in protecting children from abuse.