Project Muskaan Reaches Nearly 17,000 Students in East Siang
The flagship child safety initiative covered 104 schools, reached nearly 17,000 students, and is set to expand its focus to parents and teachers under Muskaan 2.0.
PASIGHAT- East Siang Police has successfully completed Phase-I of Project Muskaan, its flagship child safety initiative, and announced the launch of Muskaan 2.0, aimed at further strengthening child protection and community awareness across the district.
Implemented between October 2025 and March 2026, the first phase of the project covered 104 schools across East Siang district and reached 16,897 students through the Police Ki Pathshala programme. Students received 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 provide children with a safe mechanism to report concerns. During the programme, 45 complaints were received and addressed through counselling after being found outside the ambit of the POCSO Act. The initiative also led to the identification and registration of three POCSO cases for legal action.
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The project also focused on capacity building by organising 10 specialised training sessions for police personnel on child-friendly policing and effective community outreach. Students were taken on educational visits to Ane’s Home, the child-friendly facility at the Women Police Station (WPS), to familiarise them with child-sensitive support systems.
To improve awareness of emergency response mechanisms, students participated in live demonstrations and test calls to Dial 112, Childline 1098, and the Police Control Room, helping them understand how to access child protection services during emergencies.
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The initiative was further strengthened with the appointment of noted public personality Ms Chum Darang as the Child Safety Ambassador of Project Muskaan. The programme has also received appreciation from the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) for its innovative approach and has gained recognition in both local and national media.
Announcing Muskaan 2.0, East Siang Superintendent of Police Pankaj Lamba, IPS, said the next phase will continue school-based awareness campaigns while expanding outreach to parents and teachers. The programme will focus on sensitising parents during Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs), organising capacity-building sessions for teachers, and ensuring regular monitoring of Child Safety Complaint Boxes for prompt grievance redressal.
East Siang Police expressed confidence that Muskaan 2.0 will further strengthen the district’s child protection framework by promoting greater community participation and creating a safer, more child-friendly environment.
