(a) whether the inmates of many juvenile homes in the country are addicted to drugs and
are often sexually abused;
(b) if so, whether the Union Government has ever directed the State Governments to conduct
health check-up of these inmates;
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Union Government to run these juvenile homes
efficiently?
MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a) to (c): As per information received from National Commission for Protection of
Child Rights (NCPCR), there have been some cases of sexual abuse of children in the Homes
registered under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 [JJ Act].
As regards drug addiction among inmates of juvenile Homes, the JJ Act provides for in-patient
treatment of children who are addicted to any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance, in
Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts being run under ‘Central Sector Scheme of
Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse and for Social Defence
Services’ of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment or any other corresponding
scheme for the time being in force. Further, Rule 45 of the Central Model Rules notified
under the JJ Act already prescribes the detailed procedures for medical care and health
check-up of inmates of juvenile Homes.
(d): Section 34 (3) of the JJ Act provides for mandatory registration of all Child Care
Institutions (CCIs) housing children in need of care and protection with the intent of
enforcing minimum standards of care, under the Act and Rules there-under, for the services
provided for children in these Homes. The JJ Act and Central Model Rules there-under provide
for mechanisms for stringent monitoring of quality of services in the Homes, including
Observation/Special Homes, through Inspection Committees set up by the State Government
at State, district and city levels and Child Welfare Committees (CWCs). Further, the
Rules provide for setting up of Children’s Committees in every institution which are,
inter-alia, also encouraged to report incidents of abuse and exploitation, if any. Besides,
Rule 60 of the Model Rules framed under the JJ Act also prescribes comprehensive measures
to respond in case any kind of abuse, including sexual abuse, neglect and maltreatment is
noticed in the CCI.
To ensure that children in all the Homes receive the best of care, and are not subject to
abuse and neglect, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has been strongly pursuing
with the State Governments/UT Administrations from time to time to identify and register
all CCIs under the JJ Act and set up functional inspection committees, as prescribed under
the JJ Act, where not available.
To improve the condition of the Homes and ensure well being of the children the Ministry
of Women and Child Development is providing financial assistance to the State Governments/
UT Administrations under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme for setting up, upgradation
and maintenance of various types of Homes, including Observation Homes and Special Homes for
children in conflict with law. The Scheme also provides for training and capacity building
of all child protection personnel, including functionaries in the Homes, so that they are
sensitised and equipped to take care of the well-being of the children in their care.