Lok Sabha Question No. 2283 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-12
Subject: Special Provision for Orphaned Children
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2283

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2025

## SPECIAL PROVISION FOR ORPHANED CHILDREN

## 2283.  DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN :

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

- (a) whether Government has taken note of the challenges faced by orphaned and vulnerable children  in  obtaining  Aadhaar/essential  identity  documents,  particularly  in  cases  where guardianship/parental records are unavailable, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the measures taken, in coordination with the UIDAI and State Governments, to  simplify  documentation,  enable  institutional  certification/ensure  compliance  with Supreme Court directions on the right to identity, education and welfare;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to consider special provisions for orphaned children in education, skilling/employment schemes at the national level;
- (d) if so, the details of proposals if any under examination along with expected timeline for their implementation; and
- (e) the details of the steps taken to ensure that orphans without Aadhaar are not denied access to  school  admissions,  nutrition  programmes,  Child  Care  Institutions  (CCIs)  and  other welfare benefits, including the use of alternative verification mechanisms?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e):   The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  is  the  nodal  Ministry  for  the administration of the 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 the States and Union Territories. As per section 106 of JJ Act, 2015, the primary responsibility and execution of the JJ Act, 2015 lies with the States and Union Territories and they are required to ensure effective implementation of the Act.

The  Ministry  is  implementing  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  namely  'Mission  Vatsalya', through the State and Union Territory Governments to deliver various services for Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) including orphaned children as well as Children in Conflict with  Law  (CCL).  These  services  include  Institutional  Care  and  Non-Institutional  Care.   The

Child Care Institutions (CCIs) established under the Mission Vatsalya scheme support, interalia, age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. Under non-institutional care, support is provided to the children through Sponsorship, Foster Care, Adoption and After Care.

As per Mission Vatsalya Scheme guidelines, States and Union Territories have to ensure that documents  of  each  child  like  Birth  Certificate,  Aadhar  Card,  School  going  Certificate, Vaccination Certificates, Health Check-up cards etc., of all the children are made available by the Child Care Institutions. Further, as per guidelines, CCIs are to ensure specific short term suitable certificate courses and skill training certificate courses for children in the CCIs in the age group of 14-18 years.

The  Ministry  of  Women  &  Child  Development,  in  conjunction  with  Unique  Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Aadhaar enrolment of children in difficult circumstances including missing children or those who are separated from their families including orphaned children, which was issued on 25.06.2025.

The Ministry has issued various guidelines and advisories from time to time for strengthening implementation of JJ Act, 2015 by the States and Union Territories. The Ministry also regularly engages  with  the  States  and  Union  Territories  with  regard  to  implementation  of  the  JJ  Act effectively.

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