PASIGHAT, 31 Jul: The East Siang district police on Friday announced Phase-II of Project Muskaan- a comprehensive flagship child safety initiative of the district police – following the successful completion of the first phase.
Implemented from October 2025 to March 2026, Phase-I of the project covered 104 schools across East Siang district and reached 16,897 students through the ‘Police Ki Pathshala’.
The programme delivered structured, age-appropriate awareness sessions on child rights, good touch and bad touch, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, cyber safety, and bullying prevention.
As part of the initiative, 104 child safety complaint boxes were installed in schools to facilitate safe reporting of concerns by children.
During the implementation period, 45 complaints were received and effectively addressed through counselling, as they did not fall under the provisions of the POCSO Act.
Based on school visits and interventions under the programme, three POCSO cases were identified and registered for legal action.
The project also focused on strengthening institutional capacity by conducting 10 specialised training sessions for police personnel to enhance their skills in child-friendly policing and effective outreach.
Students were also taken on educational visits to Ane’s Home – the child-friendly facility established at the women police station – to acquaint them with child-sensitive support mechanisms and systems.
To improve emergency response awareness, students participated in live demonstrations and test calls to Dial 112, Child-line 1098, and the police control room, enabling them to understand the available child protection services and emergency reporting mechanisms.
The initiative was further strengthened with the association of noted public personality Chum Darang as the child safety ambassador of Project Muskaan.
The project has also received appreciation from the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights for its innovative approach towards child protection, and has been widely covered in both local and national media.
While announcing ‘Muskaan 2.0’, East Siang SP Pankaj Lamba expressed hope that the second phase would further strengthen child safety initiatives across the district.
The second phase will continue school-based awareness programmes while expanding its outreach to actively engage parents and teachers on their legal responsibilities under child protection laws, the SP said.
Outlining the activities under the phase, he said special focus will be given on utilising parent-teacher meetings as platforms for structured sensitisation of parents, conducting dedicated orientation and capacity-building programmes for teachers, and ensuring regular monitoring and maintenance of child safety complaint boxes installed in schools for prompt response and effective grievance redressal.
The district police expressed confidence that Muskaan 2.0 will further reinforce a safe, informed, and child-friendly environment by promoting greater community participation and strengthening the district’s child protection framework.
Project Muskaan has emerged as a pioneering model for child protection in Arunachal Pradesh, achieving significant success during its first phase through extensive school outreach, awareness campaigns, and child-friendly policing initiatives. (DIPRO)
