Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Adoption agencies coming up in new districts also

By Our Staff Reporter

Chennai March 11. The State Government is setting up adoption agencies in districts where they do not exist already, the Social Welfare Secretary, C. K. Gariyali, said today.

While 23 agencies were already authorised to conduct adoptions, applications from other agencies in the newly-formed districts were being scrutinised. The idea was to have one adoption agency in every district.

Ms. Gariyali was speaking at the inaugural function of a two-day training programme organised here for certified agencies involved in in-country adoptions and government officials, by the Voluntary Co-ordinating Agency for Child Adoption and the Directorate of Social Welfare.

While emphasising that the Girl Child Protection programmes had created awareness of various government schemes, the Secretary said the infant mortality rate had come down significantly in the State, especially in areas like Salem. This was largely due to the intervention by non-governmental organisations. Female infanticide was also coming down as the State with the Cradle Baby Scheme, had provided an alternative for girl children.

However, procedural delays still existed in the adoption process. Though the process of securing the police report and the abandonment certificate had been quickened and simplified, a number of cases were still pending in court, she pointed out.

The Director of Social Welfare, Supriya Sahu, said a code of ethics for licence for agencies was evolved after a consensus was arrived at the different groups involved. The code laid down specific guidelines for each agency and government officials and if the provisions were followed, the adoption programme would be a success. A total of 1,742 children from Tamil Nadu had been given in adoption within the country since 1992 and 188 cradles placed in the districts Dharmapuri, Salem, Dindugul, Theni and Madurai to receive girl children.

The former Supreme Court judge and VCA chairman, S. Mohan, said the delay in finalising adoptions must be cut down. He also acknowledged that racketeering was going on in inter-country adoptions. The CARA chairperson, Andal Damodaran, explained that in-country and inter-country adoptions were regulated by a 1984 Supreme Court order. The entire procedure had become `child centred' and inter-country adoptions were not `fund-raising' avenues. Children were given to non-Indians only when there was no other claimant and the legal procedures were in place only to ensure the welfare and safety of the children.

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