The government has approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on Friday in an attempt to safeguard minors in the country. The stipulation of the death penalty has also been included for those found guilty of aggravated sexual assault on a child.

“Stringent punishment, including death penalty for aggravated penetrative sexual abuse of children, is among the amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,” announced Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at a press briefing. “Our aim is to prevent children from falling victim to sexual aggression,” he added. The decision has been made in the wake of the alarmingly high number of crimes against children being reported per day from across the country.

Besides, the Union Minister also announced stringent punishment for those circulating child pornography for commercial or other purposes. Several states, including Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, had already approved the death penalty for those found guilty of sexually assaulting children below 12 years of age. The POCSO, which was brought to effect in 2012, has faced several modifications in the past in order to make the Act as infallible as possible.