New Delhi, 15 December 2021: The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ ACT, 2015) is the primary law for children in conflict with law and those in need of care and protection. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the centrally sponsored namely Child Protection Services (CPS) Scheme for rehabilitation of children in difficult circumstances including, orphan and destitute children. Under CPS scheme, financial assistance is provided to the State Governments/UT Governments for providing services which include institutional care, non-institutional care, support for capacity building, human resources etc. Grants are also provided for setting up and maintenance of various types of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) including children homes, observation homes, special homes, place of safety, open shelters and Specialized Adoption Agencies. CCIs provide for age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. The execution of the scheme lies with the respective States/UTs.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has been issuing advisories from time to time to States/UTs to deal with crimes against children, which are available at www.mha.gov.in.
It is stated that National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), an autonomous body under the aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development, is entrusted with the mandate to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Various activities are taken up by the NCPCR along with State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs) through consultation, webinar, developing of creative material with reference to child rights, their wellbeing, nutrition etc.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.