Question : ONLINE PROCESS OF CHILD ADOPTION

(a) the criteria/norms being followed/laid down by the Government for allocation of funds to the adoption agencies/centres in the country along with the details of funds allocated to them during each of the last three years and the current year, agency and State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government proposes to make the entire adoption process online;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard along with the time by which it is likely to be done?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

(a): The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) under which funds are allocated to States/UTs for operating Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs) either by themselves or through voluntary organizations. These adoption agencies should be registered under Section 34 (3) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and should adhere to the guidelines and rules laid down by the Central/State Government governing in-country/inter-country adoption from time to time. The proposal for providing grants to these agencies are considered in the Project Approval Board meetings of respective States/UTs under ICPS, headed by Secretary ,Ministry of Women and Child Development. For a single unit of ten children, each SAA is provided Rs.2.35 Lakh for non-recurring expenditure

(once in five years) and for recurring expenditure, Rs.15.50 Lakh. The details of funds allocated to States/UTs for SAAs under ICPS during the last three years and the current year is annexed.

(b) to (d): The Government proposes to make the entire adoption process online so as to reduce the time for completion of adoption process by registration of Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs), submission of various documents related to PAPs and adoptable children on a web based portal ‘Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System’ (CARINGS).This requires process re-engineering of the existing systems which has been initiated, as such no specific time frame can be set.