Lok Sabha Question No. 3233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Trafficked Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3233 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2020

## TRAFFICKED CHILDREN

## 3233. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  proposed  any  plan  for  the  rehabilitation  of  the victims of child trafficking and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of shelter homes established for such victims in North Bengal;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  proposed  to  increase  the  number  of  such  shelter homes; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a): As per Section 2 (14) (ix) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), a child who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug abuse or trafficking is included as a 'child in need of care and protection (CNCP)'. The JJ Act, 2015 mandates a security net of service delivery structures to provide Institutional and non-Institutional care to these children. It is gender neutral Act. The primary responsibility of execution of the Act lies with the States/UTs.The Ministry of Women and Child  Development  is  implementing  a  centrally  sponsored  Child  Protection  Services (CPS) Scheme (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme) for supporting the children in difficult circumstances.The primary responsibility of implementation of the scheme lies with the State Governments/UT Administrations. Under the scheme institutional care is provided through Child Care  Institutes (CCIs), as a rehabilitative  measure. The programmes and activities in Homes inter-alia include age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. Under the non-institutional care component, support is extended for adoption, foster care and sponsorship. Further CPS also provides for 'After care' services after the age of 18 years to help sustain them during  the  transition  from  institutional  to  independent  life.  The  Ministry  supports  24x7 outreach  helpline  service  for  children  in  distress.  This  service  is  available  through  a dedicated toll free number, 1098 which can be accessed by children in crisis or by adults on  their  behalf  from  any  place  in  the  geographical  location  of  India. The  Ministry  of Women  and  Child  Development  and  Ministry  of  Railways  have  jointly  taken  up  an initiative  to  ensure  the  care  and  protection,  security  and  well  being  of  run  away, unaccompanied  and  trafficked  children  who  may  come  in  contact  with  Railway.  The Ministry has supported Railway Childline help desk at 126 Railway stations.

Ministry is also implementing Ujjawala Scheme for combating trafficking of women and  children  for  commercial  sexual  exploitation,  with  five  specific  components  Prevention, Rescue, Rehabilitation, Re-Integration and Repatriation of victims of trafficking.  The  scheme  has  been  conceived  primarily  for  the  purpose  of  preventing trafficking  on  the  one  hand  and  rescue  and  rehabilitation  of  victims  on  the  other.  The scheme  provides for  rehabilitation  of  victims  by  providing  food,  shelter,  counselling, medical care, legal aid and vocational training as well as their reintegration into society.

(b): As per information provided by the State Govt. of West Bengal, details of CCIs including children residing in them which are being supported under the CPS Scheme during the financial year 2019-20 (as on Feb, 2020) is as follows:

|   Children Home |   Beneficiaries |   Specialized Adoption Agencies |   Beneficiaries |   Open Shelter |   Beneficiaries |
|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
|              59 |            3486 |                              23 |             326 |             49 |            1226 |

There are 2 Protective and Rehabilitative Homes in West Bengal with a capacity of 100 beneficiaries under Ujjawala Scheme.

(c)  &  (d):    A  Project  Approval  Board  (PAB)  under  the  Chairpersonship  of  Secretary (WCD) has  been  constituted  in  the  Ministry  to  scrutinize  and  approve  implementation plans, annual Plans and financial proposals from States/ UTs for release of grants under the scheme. The funding of proposed new Homes, either on rent basis or construction basis, is decided in the inter-ministerial Project Approval Board (PAB) constituted under the  Scheme  to  consider  and  approve  the  financial  proposals  received  from  the  State Governments/UT Administrations. This is a continuous process.

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