Lok Sabha Question No. 3142 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-05
Subject: Education and Employment for Orphan/Destitute Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT, REKHA ARUN VERMA, BHAVANA GAWALI (PATIL)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3142 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.01.2018

## EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT FOR ORPHANS/DESTITUTE CHILDREN

3142.   SHRI ARVIND SAWANT: SHRIMATI REKHA VERMA: SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI PATIL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government implements any scheme/programme or provide scholarship to orphan/destitute children for higher education;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the number of children benefited there from during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and
- (d) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  help  orphans  to  get  education  and employment?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a) to (c) No, Madam.
- (d) The  Government  has  enacted Juvenile  Justice  (Care  and  Protection  of  Children)  Act, 2015, by repealing JJ Act 2000, for children in conflict with law and children in need of care  and  protection,  which  includes  Orphan,  Abandoned  and  Surrendered  child.  The primary responsibility of execution of the Act lies with the State/UTs. However, Central Government is running  ICPS (now 'Child Protection Services' under  Integrated Child Development  Scheme),  since 2009-10, and providing financial assistance to the States/UTs on sharing pattern for, inter-alia, undertaking a situational analysis of children in  difficult  circumstances,  including  Orphan,  Abandoned  and  Surrendered  children. Under the scheme Sponsorship support (financial support for education etc) is provided, if the child is living with family, or the child is placed in Children Homes, if there is no one to look after the child or child is in need of care and protection, to ensure that their

education  can  continue  in  an  undisturbed  manner.  The  programmes  and  activities  in Children  Homes  inter-alia  include  age-appropriate  education,  access  to  vocational training,  recreation,  health  care,  counselling  etc.  Further  ICPS  also  provides  for  'After care' services after the age of 18 years to help sustain them during the transition from institutional  to  independent  life.  Apart  from  this,  the National  Institute  of  Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), an autonomous body under Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), has introduced scholarship, under the scheme 'Unnati', through the National Children's Fund (NCF), children residing in a Child Care Institution (CCI), including orphan or destitute, studying in class 9-12 with a promising performance  can  get  this  scholarship.  The  child  having  minimum  75%  attendance  and securing  minimum  55%  marks  in  the  final  examination  of  the  previous  class,  are considered for inclusion in the merit list of 100 students for each class 9-12. As per the scheme  guidelines  of  'Unnati',  the  child  should  not  be  receiving  any  assistance  on regular  basis  from  any  other  sources  towards  her/his  education  and  should  have  an Aadhar linked savings  bank account  in  a  Nationalized  Bank.  Fifty  percent  of  the  total scholarship money is earmarked for girl students.

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