BACHPAN BACHAO ANDOLAN Vs. STATE OF JHARKHAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) A supplementary counter affidavit has been filed yesterday on behalf of the Women, Child Development and Social Security Department in pursuance to our orders passed on the previous date.

(2.) Learned GP-II Mr. Rajeev Ranjan Mishra has sought to place the affidavit. According to him, department has taken a number of steps in the direction in which this public interest litigation is progressing. As a prologue, it starts with the mention of special bodies created both in the districts and at State level i.e. Jharkhand State Child Protection Society (JSCPS) at State level; District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) in all 24 districts; Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) functional in all 24 districts of the State. It also talks about creation of Jharkhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (JSCPCR) under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. It further refers to the establishment of 10 Observation Home and 01 Special Home for child and juvenile in conflict with law as well as 25 Children Home, 15 Specialized Adoption Agency (SAA), 05 Open Shelter Home for Children in need of care and protection in various districts of Jharkhand State for providing institutional rehabilitation, as mandated by the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. In the financial year 201819, the JSCPS has proposed opening of 08 new Children Home, 05 Open Shelter Home and11 Specialized Adoption Agency for providing institutional rehabilitation to the Child in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP). Out of proposed 08 new Children Home, 04 would be dedicated for the purpose of Specially Abled Children below 18 years of age. Annexure-AB containing the minutes of the meeting are enclosed in support thereof. All these homes are running as per the norms of Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS). Budget has been disbursed as per the norms of ICPS by the JSCPS.

(3.) The Society in collaboration with Plan India Jharkhand have proposed to start Digital Learning Support Centre (DLSC) at 09 Children Home and Observation Home at Ranchi for educational rehabilitation of children residing in these homes. It has also secured approval to start awareness programme through Prasar Bharti and other related issues. The Society has taken various steps to ensure that each child in these institutions are provided linkages with formal education, adequate nutrition, required medical services conducive for their well-being. State Government has provided various skill development linkages in these homes in order to improve the skills of the children for better future employability in collaboration with UNICEF, Sahyog Village, Save the Children and Kerala Ayuveda. State Government has shown keen interest to collaborate with Tata Steel on various child protection issues. It would be followed up by the Department and JSCPS for its early roll out (Annexure- EF). JSCPS has always encouraged collaboration with multiple stakeholders i.e. Civil Society and NGOs at various levels. Time to time, directions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioners to ensure minimum sittings of CWCs and JJBs, as mandated by the Jharkhand Juvenile Justice Rules, 2018. JSCPS in collaboration with Save the Children, has conducted various rounds of trainings and social mapping to improve the working abilities and case management of CWCs.