New Delhi, Mar 29 (PTI) Child rights NGO 'Save the Children' was advertising regularly on electronic and social media seeking Rs 800 per month from the public to tackle the challenge of malnutrition in tribal children, the government said in Parliament on Wednesday.

Responding to a question in Rajya Sabha, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has received representations informing it that NGOs are raising funds using pictures of minor children.

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"Further, it had recently come to the notice of this ministry that a well-known NGO 'Save the Children' was advertising regularly on electronic and social media seeking Rs 800 per month from the general public to tackle the challenge of malnutrition in tribal children," Irani said in a written response.

She said such activities of NGOs are in violation of sections 74 and 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and also section 23 of the POCSO Act, 2012.

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On the issue of raising funds using pictures of minor children, Irani said the NCPCR has made recommendations to all states and Union territories and NGOs to not indulge in such acts.

"As regards the misleading advertisement seeking to raise funds to address the issue of malnutrition in tribal children, a communication was issued by this ministry to all states/UTs alerting the states/UTs against such misleading advertisements," it said.

All states and UTs were asked to take all appropriate measures to spread awareness among people regarding false information being furnished by such NGOs and generate awareness regarding the services being provided to beneficiaries under the various schemes of the ministry, she said.

States and UTs were also advised to report similar issues or incidents in relation to such NGOs to ensure timely and appropriate action.

"A communication was also issued to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, requesting examination of the matter and for appropriate follow-up action against such malicious advertisements by NGOs. Further, a letter seeking explanation was also issued to the concerned NGO. In response, the NGO tendered an apology and assured that the said advertisement would be withdrawn from all media platforms and would not be placed again in public domain," she added.

There was no immediate reaction from Save The Children on the matter.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)