Lok Sabha has passed the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2021. The Bill seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The amendments include authorizing District Magistrate including Additional District Magistrate to issue adoption orders to ensure speedy disposal of cases and enhance accountability.
Defining eligibility parameters for appointment of Child Welfare Committee members and categorizing previously undefined offences as serious offences are some of the other aspects of the Bill.
Replying to discussion on the Bill, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that the Bill aims to provide protection to the children by empowering the District administration. She said, through this Bill, the District Magistrate will be a synergizing officer instead of just a reviewing officer and implement the procedures of children rehabilitation, in the stipulated time frames. She said, the Bill establishes linkages between various authorities and agencies in child protection. She said, a very few states in the country have an active District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), therefore strengthening the District Administration is a necessary to save the Children from abuse.
Considering the members suggestion, Smriti Irani said, the Government is focusing on mental and psychological support to children at Anganwadi level in coordination with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) and reaching out to Panchayats through the Panchayat Raj department. Similarly, she also said, her ministry will be writing for verification of any criminal record of recruits in the child care centres.
The Minister appealed all the members to rise constitutional provisions in the DISHA meetings for speedy action in child protection. She said, it has been found in the audit that several child care institutions are not registered and not providing basic amenities to children. Mrs. Smriti Irani said, PM Modi led government has increased the budget of her ministry, from Three Hundred Crore in 2013-2014 to Fifteen Hundred Crore rupees in the present budget.
Initiating the discussion, Preneet Kaur of Congress expressed happiness that children are being taken up as a priority by the government. She however said the proposed amendments put the entire impetus of the child’s welfare on the District Magistrates who are already overburdened which may lead to serious delays and have wider repercussions on a children’s welfare. Supporting the Bill, Aparajita Sarangi of BJP said it focuses on definition of serious offences, adoption and functioning of child welfare committee. Supriya Sule of NCP said that child welfare committees need to be strengthened. Anubhav Monhanty of BJD, Dr. Virendra Kumar of BJP, Malook Nagar of BSP, Independent Member Ms. Navneet Ravi Rana and others also spoke on the Bill.
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