Telangana CM orders comprehensive Child Online Safety Framework
Hyderabad, Oct 3 (TNT): Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday directed officials to prepare a comprehensive Child Online Safety Framework to safeguard children from cybercrimes and ensure access to justice.
The framework will be prepared in consultation with the Telangana High Court and the Telangana State Legal Services Authority (TGSLSA), the Chief Minister said while addressing the inaugural session of the National Legal Services Authority’s (NLSA) South Zone Regional Conference here.
The conference was organised on the theme ‘Justice for Children in Cyberspace’.
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, Telangana High Court Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Supreme Court Judges Justices Vikram Nath, Alok Aradhe, R. Mahadevan and P.S. Narasimha, and Telangana High Court Judge Justice Sam Koshy attended the conference.
Revanth Reddy said protecting children and women remains the highest priority of the state government and called for greater coordination among institutions working for their safety.
He stressed the need to involve parents in preparing the Child Online Safety Framework and said every child and parent should be aware of the cybercrime helpline 1930 and child helpline 1098.
The Chief Minister urged parents to communicate openly with their children about their online activities, saying, “Be curious, not judgemental.”
He said Telangana had several institutions, including Bharosa centres, Child Protection Units, Child Welfare Committees, Special Courts and Legal Services Authorities, working together to protect children.
Bharosa centres provide police support, medical assistance, legal aid and counselling to women and children under one roof, he said, adding that Hyderabad has India’s first Child Friendly Court.
The Women’s Safety Wing of the Telangana Police operates SHE-Bharosa Cyber Labs, while the CybHER app is being used to educate students and teachers about online safety, he said.
The Chief Minister said students were also being encouraged to act as cyber ambassadors for their classmates.
He said the TGSLSA had signed an MoU with the School Education Department to educate children about their legal rights and added that more than 3,000 Child Protection Officers had been trained so far.
The Chief Minister said the government would extend full support to Legal Services Authorities to ensure that their work reaches every district and village.
“Justice is not only about conviction. It is about restoration. It is about dignity. It is about giving back children their childhood,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between Mahatma Gandhi’s fight for the weak and poor through the law and the work of Legal Services Authorities, Revanth Reddy said the internet and artificial intelligence had brought positive changes but also exposed children to risks such as misinformation and cybercrime.
“Children can make mistakes and its consequences can be bad for themselves, for their families, and for the society. Internet did not create these crimes, but it has made it easier to organise them on a global scale,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the challenge was to prevent cybercrimes against children, ensure their safety and provide them access to justice.
Expressing happiness at hosting the conference in Hyderabad, he said he was confident that the recommendations emerging from the event would guide not only Telangana but the country as a whole.
On the occasion, Revanth Reddy launched the TGSLSA Freedom from Bonded Labour – Legal Aid, Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-integration Scheme, 2026, aimed at simplifying the reporting of bonded labour incidents and creating awareness about workers’ rights and also inaugurateds the symbolic commitment wall, pleding to ensure legal aid to every child victim.
After the inaugural session, the Chief Minsiter also joined Union Minister of State for Law and Justice , Telangana High Court Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Supreme Court Judges Justices Vikram Nath, Alok Aradhe, R. Mahadevan and P.S. Narasimha, and Telangana High Court Judge Justice Sam Koshy, in flagging off the ‘ Nyaya Ratham- Justice at the Doorstep” Mobile Lok Adalat Van, dedicated at delivering accessible, affordable and expeditious justice to citizens across the state.
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