The preparatory school for children with special needs will be run on the premises of Prayaas building in Sector 38. An outlay of about Rs 14 lakh has been proposed for the purchase of equipment and other contingent expenditure to run the school.

UT Administrator, General (retd) S F Rodrigues had laid the foundation stone of the building for vocational training centre for streetchildren in Maloya. The centre will train 900 children.

An outlay of Rs 50 lakh has been proposed to run the institute. Around 300 children would be imparted training in the first phase which will start functioning in July 2008.

The institute will also provide training in courses, such as, computers, electrical, electronics, repairs or assembling services, beauty culture, cutting, tailoring and embroidery, welding, motor mechanic, carpentry, food processing and dress designing to the streetchildren for making them self-dependent.

A vocational training-cum-production centre for the disabled will soon become functional in Sector 46. The centre will be a hub of training, trades and self-employment activities. It is proposed to run training courses in chalk making, electrical and electronics assembly, envelope making, carpentry, printing and composing and book binding and screen printing in the first year and 200 disabled persons are likely to be imparted training in these courses.

A child helpline will also run from the premises of Old Age Home, Sector 15, through the Chandigarh Child and Women Development Corporation. The main objective is to ascertain that every child is ensured of his or her right to childhood.