INTEGRATED CHILD PROTECTION SCHEME: Punjab to spend Rs. 21.24-Cr

Chandigarh, November 5, 2012: Madan Mohan Mittal, Health and Family Welfare, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister, Punjab said that the Punjab Government issued a grant of Rs. 21.24 crore under integrated child protection scheme (ICPS) to provide safe and secure environment for over all development of the children in need of care and protection.

The main objective of the scheme  was to bring several existing child protection programme under one umbrella and introduce new initiative, contribute to the improvement in the well being of children in difficult circumstances, reducing vulnerabilities to situations that lead to child abuse, neglect, exploitation, abundant and separation.

He said that planning department had been allocated Rs. 572 lac as state share and 1528.24 lac as central share for the year 2012-13. State Finance department had been released Rs. 764.12 lac as central share and 231 lac as state share till now.

The minister further said that out of 22 districts in the state, the state Government had constituted child welfare committees in 20 districts and Juvenile Justice Board in each district in accordance with the provisions of J J Act. The state Government had been notified the District social security officer as district Child protection officer. Contractual post had been advertised & recruitment process will be complete at an earliest.

He  further said that state government had recognised following NGOs as license adoption placement agencies for the Country adoption, i.e Nari Niketan Trust , Nakoder Road, Jalandhar, Swami Ganga Nand Bhuriwale International Foundation Dham, VPO Talwandi Khurd, District Ludhiana, Yadwindera Puran Bal Niketan, Lahori gate Patiala, Pingla Ghar, Gulab Devi Hospital Road, Jalandhar. All India Pingalwara Charitable Society, Amritsar, Sh. Radha Krishan Dham samiti, Kot Kapura Road Faridkot and Bhai Ghaneyaji Chritable Trust, Unique Home Jalandhar.

Mittal informed that following 10 schemes namely state project unit, state child protection society, state adoption resource agency, adoption coordination agency, District Child protection society, Juvenile Justice Board, Child Welfare committee, Shelter Home, specialized adoption agencies and observation special Home were being funded by state government.

Adding, he said 7 children Home, 4 observation home, 2 special Home  2 state after care home were already working for the welfare of the children.