Cabinet nod to juvenile justice law amendments
February 17, 2021  19:09
image
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, increasing the role of district magistrates and additional district magistrates.
   
Addressing the media on the Cabinet decision, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said in every district, the district magistrate and the additional district magistrate will get the power to monitor functions of agencies responsible for the implementation of the  Act.
 
The district child protection unit will also function under the district magistrate, she said.
 
Irani said till now there was no specific direction to carry out a background check of people who are to become members of the child welfare committees.
 
According to the amendments cleared by the Cabinet, before becoming a member of the CWC, background and educational qualification checks will be included, she noted.
 
Irani said earlier any organisation which wanted to run a child care institution would need to give its purpose to the state government.
 
In the proposed amendments, before registration of a CCI, the DM will conduct its capacity and background check and then submit the recommendations to the state government, she said.
 
The DM can independently evaluate a specialised CWC, juvenile police unit and registered institutions.
 
The scope of the Juvenile Justice Act has been expanded. -- PTI
« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES