Govt has made adoption process easier with new amendments: Smriti Irani

By Bhavana ‘Aparajita'

Shukla

Talking about the implications of new changes in adoption process, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Government of India Smriti Zubin Irani, said, “Amendments have ease out adoption procedures in the country. With this new system there will be no need to go to the court to adopt a child. With introduction of changes by the Government of India, it has become child friendly also.” Minister Irani was addressing Regional Symposium on Child Protection, Child Safety and Child Welfare on Sunday in Bhopal. Advocating states’ role in child safety and adoption task, the Union Minister said, “ States operate Child Helpline and be readied with a list of children who have attended the age of six and above, but no one has come forward to adopt them. So that adoption process for these children can be facilitated.” The Union Minister asked the CWCs to visit child-care homes and review cases of older children who could be made free for adoption at the earliest. The Union Minister who advocates enhancing working of Child Helpline in collaboration with other applications so that speedy action can be taken in emergency situations, has said that now states should operate Child Helpline.

With the help of technology, authorities can work in a timely manner e.g. Geo tagging can help us locate children’s exact presence. We will be able to know from where our children are making calls. The programme is a part of regional symposium series to be held across the country to raise awareness and outreach about child protection, safety and welfare issues. The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Government of India organised a day-long Regional Symposium on Child Protection, Safety and Child Welfare at Ravindra Bhawan, Bhopal on Sunday. It was attended by dignitaries from Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), Members of Village Child Protection Committee (VCPC) and Anganwadi centres. Under Mission Vatsalya, State CWCs and JJBs have been formed in every district and its budget provision has been increased substantially. Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said, “If you look at the past, it is evident that only after 2014, concrete steps have been taken by the Government in the direction of child care.

When a country cares about its children, it becomes ‘Vatsal Bharat’. Now, children at the age of 23 have been included in PM Care Children.” Highlighting objectives of ‘Mission Vatsalya’, the official said it aims to provide security net of statutory and service delivery structure to children in difficult circumstances. Official from the Ministry informed that in order to protect children from offences of sexual assault and harassment, 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including 389 Exclusive POCSO courts for expeditious trial and disposal of cases related to rape and POCSO Act, 2012 have been set up. Congress joining hands with those involved in ‘Mout ka Khela’: Targeting Congress over its prospective alliance of Opposition parties for upcoming Lok Sabha Polls 2024, where TMC and Congress will be a part, she said Congress is joining hands with the party which is involved in ‘Mout ka Khela’. As elections in the State were marked with bloodshed incidents. During Assembly polls in West Bengal ‘khela hobe’ slogan became so popular leaders of both the parties Trinamool Congress as well as BJP leaders across West Bengal were raising the same. On the sidelines of the event, a group of Congressmen were barricaded by police personnel, as the party workers were protesting against LPG price hike and attempted to reach the Union Minister.