New Delhi, Nov 20 : Congress party president Sonia Gandhi today asked the state governments to hasten the process of enacting a law for endowing children with the right to education.

Inaugurating the National Conference on child rights, on the occasion of International Child Rights Day, Sonia said: "There is no room for complacency. The state governments should bring in the right to education,"

The Centre has circulated a model right to education bill to the states.

While expressing concern over a large number of children still dropping out of school, Sonia said that there has been an improvement in the enrolment of children in schools.

Sonia noted that there were huge challenges facing the country with regard to welfare of children that included malnutrition, female foeticide, infanticide and exploitation.

The UPA chairperson said that for any society and country to progress, development of children was a must.

She said that each child should be nurtured and encouraged so that their special abilities were developed, and it was the responsibility of every citizen, society and the government. (ANI)