The state government is all set to launch child protection committees in every district under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).
The proposal to constitute the committees which could be of immense help in monitoring all the activities of child care institutions in the state was lying dormant for quite some time.
Minister for Social Welfare M K Muneer said that the district protection committees could be implemented within two months. “Procedures are on to constitute it at the earliest. Once they are implemented the issues pertaining to children could be tackled at the grass-root level,” he said.
Owing to the absence of such agencies in the districts, the state was not able to make use of the Central grants aiming to improve the child care institutions. Though a child protection society was formed in the state after much delay, it failed in serving the purpose as it could not monitor the entire activities going on in the state.
M P Antony, director, Child Line, Ernakulam, welcomed the move saying that it is the need of the hour. “As per the ICPS scheme, each state would get `120 crore for the improvement of the child care institutions, provided it meets the required criterion like formation of state child protection society, district, block level, gram panchayat level child protection committees and the like. But since Kerala failed to meet the criterion, the state government could not demand the funds which is toppling the activities intended for the welfare of the destitute children,” he said.
M S Jaya, Director, Social Welfare Department, said that a meeting was convened by K M Abraham, Principal Secretary, Social Welfare Department, with the Child Line directors on Saturday. “The department has submitted proposals to speed up the procedures to form district child protection committees,” she said.
Beena Kuruvila, member, State selection committee, Juvenile Justice Act, said once launched, every district will get a body which could monitor and evaluate issues concerning children. “There are many needs of children which are going unaddressed. Counselling and providing funds for their education are a couple of issues to mention. The district committees will help resolve such issues,” she said.
Besides, the state government has also initiated speedy actions to implement State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. Beena said that it would also help to have a comprehensive study on the issues of children.
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