Apr 21, 2015 - Vivek Bhavsar | Mumbai
After irregularities in the use of government grants came to its notice, the state government has decided to make it mandatory for children’s reform homes across Maharashtra to get an Aadhaar card for each child under their protection. What’s more, grants will be allocated based on the number of registrations as indicated by Aadhaar cards.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “There is an urgent need to change and improve the functioning of child reform homes. We have asked people running these homes to make an Aadhaar card for every child residing with them.”
“One thing is clear, only those who are involved in irregularities are opposing the government’s stand. There are also NGOs which have, as per the government’s directives, adopted the biometric system and are making Aadhaar cards for children under their care,” he said.
As of now, the state government has allocated Rs 16 crore to child reform homes in annual state expenditure. “The government wants to allocate more money for children but unscrupulous elements have opened shop in the name of children’s remand homes. We will not let them get away,” added the CM.
An official from the ministry of women and children’s welfare, on condition of anonymity, revealed that children caught performing labour or begging on the streets or living on footpaths were usually sent to reform homes.
After the Minister of State for Child Welfare Vidya Thakur visited these homes and took stock of irregularities and submitted her report, the issue was discussed in the state cabinet meeting.
Presently, there are about 1,108 reform homes across 358 talukas in Maharashtra; said an official from the state women and children’s welfare department. “Out of these, around 700 reform homes are from the Marathwada region where there is the least possibility of children being forced into labour.
According to government figures, there are about 92,000 children residing in reform homes, out of which Aadhaar cards for about 39,000 children have been made,” he said.
From an expenditure of Rs 950 per child, out of which Rs 650 was to be spent on food and the rest on supplementary demands like clothing and books, the aid to every child has been increased to Rs 1,200 during the Budget Session.