The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed all collectors to submit a comprehensive review of child protection mechanisms in their districts by July 15.
The exercise aims to strengthen implementation, monitoring and accountability of child protection mechanisms and help to create a safe and child-friendly environment across Maharashtra, commission member Sanjay Lakhepatil said in a statement on Sunday.
The collectors, who also head the district child protection units, have been asked to personally verify the information before submitting the reports, rather than merely compiling data from various departments, he said.
The commission, through its recent order, has sought details on the status of all registered and unregistered child care institutions, validity of their registrations, structural and fire safety inspections, functioning of Child Welfare Committees, district child protection units, special juvenile police units and district inspection committees.
The report will also cover the implementation of adoption, foster care, sponsorship and child care schemes, measures to prevent child marriage and child labour, rehabilitation of child beggars, handling of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, appointment of support persons, and the functioning of child protection committees at the district, taluka, village and ward levels, Lakhepatil said.
Directions have been issued in view of the responsibilities assigned to district magistrates under Sections 27 and 106 of the Juvenile Justice Act, which mandate oversight of child protection systems and monitoring of institutions working with children, the official said.
The commission would scrutinise the reports and, where necessary, conduct field visits, inspections and hearings before making recommendations to the state government. If reports are not submitted within the stipulated deadline, the commission will initiate further legal action based on available records, the statement said
