Lok Sabha Question No. 5697 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Status of Child Care Institutions
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5697

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026

## STATUS OF CHILD CARE INSTITUTIONS

## 5697. SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT:

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

- (a)       whether the Government is aware of the concerns expressed regarding the inspection and adherence to standards in several Child Care Institutes/orphanages in Uttarakhand;
- (b)       if so, the number of times orphanages have been inspected during the last three years and the number of said institutions found not to be in accordance with the standards in the said State;
- (c)        the details of the guidelines issued by the Centre to ensure the protection, nutrition and education of children; and
- (d)       the details of the additional steps taken/proposed by the Government to increase the transparency and accountability of these institutions in the said State?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a)  to  (d):   The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  is  the  nodal  Ministry  for  the administration of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015) which  is  the  primary  legislation  for  ensuring  safety,  security,  dignity  and  well-being  of children and is implemented by all the States and UTs including the State of Uttarakhand. The Act  creates  statutory  structures  at  the  State  and  District  levels  which  include  State  Child Protection Society, Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), District Child Protection Units. It also provides for establishment of Child Care Institutions (CCIs).

Under the JJ Act 2015 (Sections 27-30), the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) have been empowered  to  take  decisions  with  regard  to  the  children  in  need  of  care  and  protection, keeping their best interest in mind. They are also mandated to monitor the function of the Child  Care  Institutions  (CCIs).  As  per  Section  106  of  the  JJ  Act  2015,  the  primary responsibility for the implementation of the Act lies with the State Governments and Union Territory  (UT)  Administrations.  At  the  national  and  state  level,  the  JJ  Act  provides  the National/State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights to monitor the implementation of the Act (Section 109).

Inspection Committees are mandated under section 54 of JJ Act, 2015 to visit such facilities housing children. District Magistrate is the nodal authority in the district for children in need of  care  and  protection  and  to  take  action  on  the  findings  of  the  report  submitted  by  the Inspection Committees. The Ministry regularly follows up with the State and Union Territory Governments  and  various  advisories  have  been  issued  so  as  to  ensure  the  effective implementation of Mission Vatsalya Scheme.

Further, Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely 'Mission Vatsalya' in all States and Union Territories including the State of Uttarakhand on predefined cost sharing basis between the Central and the State Governments to deliver various services for children in difficult circumstances including orphan children. The  scheme  provides  institutional  care  and  non-institutional  care.  Child  Care  Institutions (CCIs) established under the Mission Vatsalya scheme provide, inter-alia, age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. Under NonInstitutional Care Service, support is provided through Sponsorship, Foster Care, Adoption and After Care.

The Ministry has also formulated Mission Vatsalya guidelines for effective implementation of the scheme which have been issued to all States and UTs on 05.07.2022.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched the revamped Mission Vatsalya Portal which is an integrated Digital platform for all the stakeholders related to child protection services. Mission Vatsalya portal is a technologically upgraded secure portal which provides digital working platform for various stakeholders across different levels at State and district. The earlier Khoya-Paya portal, TrackChild services and CARINGS portal for adoption has been brought under this unified portal.

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