UPCCW

Way back in 1950-51, a few influential citizens of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh, decided to form State Committee for Children for the development of the coming generations. These included Mrs Leelavati Munshi, Dr (Mrs) Hem Sanwal, Mr Hargivind Mishra, Mrs JM Charles, Dr GB Kabraji, Mrs Kamla Bhargava, Mrs Prem Chaudhury and Captain AP Bajpai. The initial activities were centred around rural development under which children's fair were organised, and milk and mid-day meals were provided to the needy children.

Two years later, that is, in 1953, the committee was registered as Uttar Pradesh Council for Child Welfare (Uttar Pradesh Bal Kalyan Parishad in Hindi) under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. In the same year, it got affiliation with the Indian Council for Child Welfare as its state level branch. Since then, the council is making steady headway and has emerged as a prime organisation engaged in child welfare.

1950-51: Constitution of the State Committee for Children. Initial activities included rural development.

1953: Committee registered as Uttar Pradesh Council for Child Welfare and got affiliation with Indian Council for Child Welfare.

1955-56: Establishment of Leelavati Munshi Destitute Children Home for destitute children at Moti Nagar in Lucknow. Mrs Indira Gandhi lays foundation of the home building and construction begins. Construction of children's library building begins at Sarojini Naidu Park.

1958: Constitution of UPCCW amended on the lines of ICCW.

1959-60: The council office established at Moti Mahal.

1960-61: Children's Summer Camp organised at Nainital.

1961-62: Distribution of mid-day meal at Municipal School, Narhi, a locality in heart of Lucknow.

1962-63: Commencement of Bal Sevika Kendra in Lucknow.

1965-66: Beginning of Child Guidance Clinic at Paper Mill Colony in Lucknow.

1966-67: Establishment of District Child Welfare Committees in various districts of the state.

1967-68: Organisation of referral for collecting funds for welfare activities.

1968-69: Establishment of balwadi at Paper Mill Colony in Nishatganj.

1969: A girl Manju Gupta sent to England for heart surgery.

1969-70: Establishment of free hospital at Narhi, Lucknow, for poor women and children.

1970-71: Establishment of 79 balwadis (children's centres) in various districts for distribution of supplementary nutrition.

1971-72: Initiation of Rural Flood Project in three villages of Unnao and Barabanki districts with support from Save the Children Fund, UK.

1973-74: Construction of balwadi building at Telibagh, a locality in Lucknow. Commencement of financial assistance for child education from Indian Council for Child Welfare.

1974-75: Inauguration of Bal Sevika Training Centre at Haridwar by the then Governor, Mr Akbar Ali Khan.

1977-78: Two-day seminar on the topic Problems in Child Welfare organised on the occasion of silver jubilee of the establishment of the council. Initiation of 15 Bal Vihars in different districts for the working and lactating women.

1979: State Government awards the council.

1979-80: Construction of building of Homeopathic hospital and establishment of dispensary in the compound of Leelavati Munshi Destitute Children Home at Moti Nagar in Lucknow.

1981-82: Establishment of 21 Anganwadi Training Centres in different districts. Council bags national award.

1986-87: Beginning of Empowerment Programme with financial support from UNICEF for supervisors and instructors of Anganwadi Training Centres. Initiation of education toys making workshops with financial support from Norad, a development and support agency of the Government of Norway.

1987-88: Establishment of adoption centre in Leelavati Munshi Destitute Children Home, Moti Nagar, Lucknow, with financial assistance from the Government of Sweden.

1990-91: Beginning of Child Labour Project in three districts of the state - Aligarh, Moradabad and Ferozabad.

1992-93: Collection of material for assisting earthquake victims in north India. Relief material distributed among earthquake victims in Uttarkashi district of the state (now in Uttarakhand). Funds mobilised for welfare activities by holding 'Jagjit Singh Musical Nite' in Lucknow. Family Welfare Centre established at Daroga Kheda, a locality at Kanpur Road in Lucknow with financial assistance from ITC (Indian Tobacco Company).

1993-94: One day seminar organised on the topic History of 'Four Decades of Child Welfare and Development in the State'. Initiation of Street Children Project. Council honoured with Radharaman Memorial Award.

1994-95: Three day seminar on 'Child Rights Capability and Probabilities' organised with financial support from UNICEF.

1995-96: Training of teachers of balwadis, bal vihars and pre-primary education centres. Training of pre-primary education workers and participants of Integrated Child Development Project in one block each of all the districts in Meerut and Faizabad divisions of the state. Marriage of two inmates of Leelavati Munshi Destitute Children Home. First phase of the construction of Bal Bhawan completed.

1996-97: Establishment of 10 creches and initiation of mass awareness and literacy training for the care of women and children working in DWACRA industries being run in three development blocks of Lucknow district. Construction of Bal Bhawan on 5 acres of forest land on Kanpur Road. Marriage of one inmate of Leelavati Munshi Destitute Children Home.

1997-98: Holding of freedom fighter programme on November 26 on the occasion of 50th anniversary of Independence of the country. Establishment of non-formal education centres.

1998-99: Sanction of 14 creches by the Central Advisory Board. One-day mass awakeing programme on the topic 'Environmental Security and its Upkeep' organised. Brave children honoured on November 14 on the occasion of Children's Day celebrations. Wheel chairs distributed among eight disabled children.

1999-00: Tricycles, callipers and wheel chairs distributed among nine children on November 14.

2000-01: Establishment of night shelter and child line.

2001-02: Training of self help groups through teleconferencing.

2003-04: Presentation of the play 'Rajkumar and Polu' at National Drama Academy, New Delhi, on October 12.

2004-05: Marriage of an inmate of Leelavati Munshi Destitute Children Home on May 12. Presentation 'Shahidon Ne Lau Jagayee Jo' by the inmates at Rai Umanath Bali auditorium on July 17.

2005-06: Establishment of 30 creches by District Child Welfare Council, Moradabad on February 1 (10 each in Moradabad, Rampur and Bareilly districts). Orientation programme on HIV by the organisation Ahsas on May 30. Cultural programme 'Parwaz' on January 31. Children's knowledge workshop organised by the Central Labour Education Board, Government of India, on February 17 and 18.

2006-07: Adoption awareness function organised at Bal Bhawan, Lucknow. Ten-day training programme under Rajeev Gandhi National Creche Scheme from January 20 to 30. Cultural Evening of Destitute Children at Dayanand Ashram, Moti Nagar, Lucknow. Beginning of 55 creches on March 1. Honour of bravery award winner children by the council president HE the Governor on March 9.

2007-08: Physical, mental and spiritual development camp by Khushi Foundation on April 26, crèche workers’ training programme on July 18, adoption awareness camp at Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, on November 14.

2008-09: Live telecast of music by Preeti and other child inmates of Balgriha by Sahara Samay on July 13, youth festival 2008 on November 20, start of 20 new crèches

2009-10: cultural and self-employment development programme by Shri Satya Sai Sewa Samiti on November 19, rangoli and henna competition by Sewa Sankalp on November 30, save girl child seminar on March 8.

2010-11: Marriage of three destitute adult inmates on April 11, marriage of 26 adult poor girls on November 18, event under national blindness eradication programme in Lucknow on January 3, successful eye operation of 652 people in Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi and Sitapur by January 17.

2011-12: Establishment of child crèches, establishment destitute old age women, successful eye operation of 375 people in Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi and Sitapur by March 31.

2012-13: Marriage of Pooja on April 14, establishment of old and destitute women home on June 25, plantation drive at Bal Bhawan at Darogakheda in Lucknow on July 8, north zone meet and seminar on girl protection on August 17 and 18, human chain formation to oppose unfortunate brutal rape in Delhi on January 16, marriage of Shobha on January 16, national bravery award to four children of the state on January 18, stop child marriage campaign and marriage of 42 poor girls on February 15, felicitation of brave children by HE the Governor on February 18, celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, gifts to destitute inmates by HE the Governor.

2013-14: The 36th national camp, programme learn to live together at Bal Bhawan at Darogakheda, Lucknow, heart surgery of Ankit at SGPGI, Lucknow on September 2, relief distribution among children affected by disaster at Kedarnath and Badrinath on October 28.

2014-15: Women safety awareness programme on July 16, marriage of three inmates on December 7, seminar on the role of social organisations, social workers and role and awareness of media in prevention of crimes against women and children on March 8.

2015-16: Beginning of facility to manufacture sanitary napkins on December 11, Humanitarian aid worth Rs 22,500 contributed by public for earthquake relief in Nepal on January 28, awareness about crime against women and girls organised on the occasion of international women’s day on March 8, blindness eradication programme 1,240 patients.

2016-17: Foreigner woman from Sri Lanka aged 32 years rehabilitated in the family, marriage of Henna on November 12, Balodaya Pratibha Samman to Kajal Kaushal by Sultanpuri Sahitya Sansthan, Lucknow on December 1, appropriate representation of women in legislative bodies for prevention of crimes on March 8, sanitation fortnight with cooperation from secretary UP State Social Welfare Board, Lucknow on March 15.