Lok Sabha Question No. 2628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Conditions of Juvenile Observation Homes
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2628

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2023

## CONDITIONS OF JUVENILE OBSERVATION HOMES

## 2628. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH :

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  there  are  very  few  or  no  juvenile observation homes in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the established juvenile homes are not in good condition;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  remedial  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to improve those homes;
- (e) whether the Government has any policy in this regard; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b):  The Ministry of Women and Child Development is administering the Juvenile Justice  (Care  and  Protection  of  Children)  Act,  2015  (JJ  Act,  2015)  as  amended  in 2021which is the primary legislation for ensuring the safety, security, dignity and wellbeing of children. The Act provides for protection of children in need of care and protection and those in conflict with law by catering to their basic needs through care, protection, development, treatment and social re-integration. The primary responsibility of implementation of the JJ Act lies with the respective State/UT Government. JJ Act, 2015 mandates that the State Government to establish and maintain in every district or a group of  districts,  either  by  itself,  or  through  voluntary  or  non-governmental  organisations, observation homes for temporary reception, care and rehabilitation of any child alleged to be in conflict with law, during the pendency of any inquiry under this Act.

Child  Care  Institutions  (CCIs)  including  Juvenile  Observation  Homes,  Special Homes  and  Place  of  Safety, children in Child Care Institutions (CCIs), which provide/support for boarding & lodging; age-appropriate education; access to vocational training; recreation; health care; counselling etc. Under  the  scheme  guidelines, States/UTs have been instructed for mandatory Police verification of the CCI staff and other  staff  engaged  at  State  and  District  level,  prior  to  their  appointment.  States/UTs submit proposals for setting up of CCIs under the Mission Vatsalya Scheme. State-wise details of Child Care Institutions including Juvenile observation homes, Special Homes and Place of Safety funded under Mission Vatsalya scheme are at Annexure-I.

(c) to (f) : As  informed  by  the  National  Commission  for  Protection  of  Child  Rights (NCPCR), social audit of all Child Care Institutions including juvenile observation homes across the country has been conducted in 7163 Child Care Institutions (CCIs) on the direction of Hon'ble Supreme Court. The reports and deficiencies found during the social audit in each CCI were provided to respective District Magistrates for their necessary action.

Under section 54 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the State Governments have to appoint Inspection Committees and under section 53, to assess the basic facilities and infrastructure of the Institution for maintaining their standards.  Also section 32 to 34 of JJ Act, 2015 mentions the procedure for mandatory reporting including offence for non-reporting and penalty.

The Ministry regularly follows up with the State / UT Governments so as to ensure that Child Care Institutions (CCIs) including Juvenile Homes adhere to standards of care as per the JJ Act, 2015 provisions.  Various advisories have been sent to all State/UTs regarding mandatory inspection of all CCIs.

Ministry has time and again requested all States/UTs regarding adhering to the procedures  stipulated  under  JJ  Act,  2015  and  JJ  Rules,  2016  relating  to  physical infrastructure, clothing/bedding/toiletries, sanitation & hygiene, Nutrition and Diet scale, Medical care, mental health, Education, etc.

*****

## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) AND (B) OF THE LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.2628 FOR 04.08.2023 RAISED BY SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH REGARDING CONDITIONS OF JUVENILE OBSERVATION HOMES

STATE-WISE DETAILS OF CHILD CARE INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING JUVENILE OBSERVATION HOMES, SPECIAL HOMES AND PLACE OF SAFETY FUNDED UNDER MISSION VATSALYA SCHEME (AS ON 31.03.2023)

| 1      | 2                                    | 3                 | 4             | 5               | 6                                 |
|--------|--------------------------------------|-------------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------------------------|
| S. No. | State                                | Observation Homes | Special Homes | Place of Safety | Total CCIs (Including Col. 3/4/5) |
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh                       | 11*               | 2             | 0               | 84                                |
| 2      | Arunachal Pradesh                    | 1*                | 0             | 0               | 11                                |
| 3      | Assam                                | 5                 | 0             | 1               | 67                                |
| 4      | Bihar                                | 20                | 1             | 3               | 78                                |
| 5      | Chhattisgarh                         | 13                | 6             | 3               | 83                                |
| 6      | Goa                                  | 2                 | 2             | 0               | 25                                |
| 7      | Gujarat                              | 6                 | 0             | 0               | 78                                |
| 8      | Haryana                              | 3                 | 1             | 3               | 49                                |
| 9      | Himachal Pradesh                     | 2*                | 0             | 0               | 38                                |
| 10     | Jammu and Kashmir                    | 2                 | 1             | 0               | 39                                |
| 11     | Jharkhand                            | 13                | 1             | 1               | 50                                |
| 12     | Karnataka                            | 17                | 1             | 1               | 154                               |
| 13     | Kerala                               | 9                 | 2             | 1               | 47                                |
| 14     | Madhya Pradesh                       | 18                | 3             | 0               | 104                               |
| 15     | Maharashtra                          | 54                | 0             | 0               | 112                               |
| 16     | Manipur                              | 5*                | 2             | 1               | 86                                |
| 17     | Meghalaya                            | 3                 | 2             | 2               | 54                                |
| 18     | Mizoram                              | 8                 | 2             | 1               | 49                                |
| 19     | Nagaland                             | 12                | 2             | 0               | 44                                |
| 20     | Orissa                               | 9*                | 0             | 1               | 140                               |
| 21     | Punjab                               | 4                 | 2             | 0               | 27                                |
| 22     | Rajasthan                            | 40                | 0             | 12              | 156                               |
| 23     | Sikkim                               | 2                 | 0             | 0               | 23                                |
| 24     | Tamil Nadu                           | 8                 | 2             | 1               | 221                               |
| 25     | Tripura                              | 3                 | 1             | 0               | 34                                |
| 26     | Uttar Pradesh                        | 27                | 2             | 1               | 100                               |
| 27     | Uttarakhand                          | 10                | 2             | 2               | 33                                |
| 28     | West Bengal                          | 14*               | 0             | 0               | 164                               |
| 29     | Telangana                            | 4*                | 1             | 0               | 62                                |
| 30     | Andaman & Nicobar                    | 1*                | 0             | 0               | 10                                |
| 31     | Chandigarh                           | 1*                | 0             | 0               | 8                                 |
| 32     | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 0                 | 0             | 0               | 4                                 |
| 33     | Ladakh                               | 0                 | 0             | 0               | 1                                 |
| 34     | Lakshadweep                          | 0                 | 0             | 0               | 1                                 |
| 35     | NCT of Delhi                         | 3                 | 1             | 1               | 39                                |
| 36     | Puducherry                           | 2                 | 0             | 1               | 30                                |
|        | Total                                | 311               | 39            | 36              | 2305                              |

*Includes Observation cum Special Home .