https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Varanasi’s Unique Campaign to Rescue, Reunite, and Bring Smiles

Indian Masterminds Stories

With a heart-warming initiative named ‘Mission Muskan’, Varanasi’s Chief Development Officer (CDO), IAS officer Himanshu Nagpal, has been successfully identifying lost and destitute children found in railway stations and ghats and reuniting them with their families. The campaign, driven by the need to address the issue of child beggary in the region, has seen remarkable success, bringing smiles to the faces of many children and their parents.

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Nagpal shared details about the initiative.

MISSION MUSKAN

The ‘Mission Muskan’ campaign began as a response to the realization that many children in Varanasi, a prominent tourist destination with four railway stations and ghats, are separated from their parents for multiple reasons like getting left behind while catching a train, and other reasons. “We were unable to reach out to those kids who were left behind. So, for that, we started a campaign by the name of ‘Mission Muskan’,” said Mr. Nagpal.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of ‘Mission Muskan’ is to rescue these children and provide them with shelter in child care homes. A team of psychiatrists and psychologists work together to gather more information about the children and try to locate their homes. However, since many of these children are too young to provide exact locations, the process becomes quite challenging.

FACILITIES PROVIDED

Currently, the campaign involves 20 child shelters and one government shelter, all equipped with improved facilities including air conditioning and smart classes. Additionally, private psychiatrists are roped in to provide counselling to the children. Over the last six months, ‘Mission Muskan’, with the help of 12 rescue teams who work day and night, has successfully reunited more than 723 children with their families.

The initiative also caters to specially-abled children, providing them with a world-class shelter and facilities. Efforts are made to improve their education standards and offer training. Some children are even engaged in handicraft and rakhi-making activities, with plans to sell these products in the market and deposit the earnings into their bank accounts for their future use.

“Whatever money they will get from here will be transferred to their bank accounts once they get back to their homes,” Mr. Nagpal said.

SUPPORT

The initiative has received support not only from the local police but also from the community and government. Children are also given regular medical check-ups and provided with classes from primary school teachers.

Mr. Nagpal has expressed his dedication to these children, stating, “They are our children now, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that we look after their progression, right from counselling to their schooling and college.” ‘Mission Muskan’ ensures that children after completing their class 12th get enrolled in the ‘Mukhyamantri Baal Seva Yojana,’ a government scheme that provides monetary support.

The success of ‘Mission Muskan’ has not only rescued children from the streets but also rekindled hope for a brighter future. With ongoing efforts and support, the initiative continues to bring smiles and happiness to many children and their families in Varanasi and beyond.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
Key Bureaucratic Moves: Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil Gets Additional Labour Charge; Rahul Raichur Appointed PS to Minister Pralhad Joshi
Bihar Government-resized-IM
Bihar Govt Doubles Honorarium for Jeevika Workers, Cuts Interest Rates on Loans for SHGs Ahead of Polls - Details Inside
BHajan Lal Sharma
Rajasthan: 21 IAS Officers Given Addl Charges Amid Transfer of 62 Officers; Abhay Kumar Gets IGCB Chair - Check Full List Here
CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar Announces Major Hike in Social Security Pension Ahead of Polls - All Details Inside
Uttar Pradesh CM resized
Bhadohi Carpets Powering Uttar Pradesh's Export Economy: CM Yogi Adityanath Lauds Bhadohi's Role During Development Review Visit
CM Pushkar Dhami-resized
Uttarakhand: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Lays Foundation for Major Infrastructure Projects in Rishikesh - Know More
CM Vishnu Deo Sai - resized
Chhattisgarh CM Inaugurates Rs 3.45 Crore Development Projects in Duldula - Full Details Inside
Sharad Agarwal IPS
Who is IPS Sharad Agarwal Appointed as New Mizoram DGP? Know About Him
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Retired Officers Lead 7-Day Mission to Revive Betwa River with 55 Check Dams | Video Interview
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
What ill-fated pilots of AI171 may have gone through in those 40 seconds before the crash? Intro:
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s 27-Year Odyssey with Indian Railways | Exclusive Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
Key Bureaucratic Moves: Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil Gets Additional Labour Charge; Rahul Raichur Appointed PS to Minister Pralhad Joshi
Bihar Government-resized-IM
Bihar Govt Doubles Honorarium for Jeevika Workers, Cuts Interest Rates on Loans for SHGs Ahead of Polls - Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT