Single large facility in each State for women and children will help to ensure proper care and protection: Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

The Minister of Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi today chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament attached to WCD Ministry and briefed the members about the status of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and Shelter Homes in the country. The WCD Minister said that the Ministry of WCD has been relentlessly pursuing with the States/UT governments to ensure that CCIs adhere to standards of care as per the JJ Act, 2015. In 2016, the Ministry undertook a study on CCIs in partnership with Childline India foundation and NCPCR. As a result of the study, they were able to map more than 9000 CCIs/Homes out of which only 32% (3071) were registered under JJ Act. Briefing the members further, the Minister said that the WCD Ministry took up a drive for registration of these CCIs/Homes. As an outcome, 7109 of these CCIs were reported to have been registered by 31st December, 2017 while 401 reportedly under process. Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandh further said that in the light of the recent episodes pertaining to the CCIs, the WCD Ministry in collaboration with NCPCR has now taken up a social audit of CCIs. Social audit of 3000 homes has already been completed and more than 40 Homes have been closed down for not adhering to norms.

Smt Maneka Gandhi further said that for long run solution to the problem of providing adequate care and protection to the children, it is important to have a large central facility for women and children in every State. The land is provided by the State Governments, the WCD Ministry will provide funds from Nirbhaya fund and other sources. The government will be able to run well designed programmes of skilling, trade, education etc in these homes alongwith providing protection with the help of close supervision since it will be run by the government itself.

She also urged the members to inspect the CCIs in their constituencies and interact closely with the district magistrates to ensure proper supervision and monitoring of the CCIs. The suggestion of setting up a single large facility in each State where children and women can be sheltered  was greatly welcomed by all the members.