The Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) department on Thursday conducted an awareness programme ‘Dattatha Parichaya Vedika’ in the city highlighting the legally available options for adopting children.
Speaking on the occasion, WD&CW commissioner H. Arun Kumar explained the importance and procedure of legal adoption available for childless couples.
Stringent punishment
He said that unauthorised adoptions will create problems to the child as well as the couple and such child cannot be a legal heir of the foster parents. He said eligible couples can adopted children from newborns to 18-year-olds. Family court judge A. Parthasarathi said illegal adoption attracts a jail term of two years or more and a hefty fine.
District Child Protection Officer Ch. Vijay Kumar, in a PowerPoint presentation, explained the functions of the Central Adoption Resource Authority and the State Adoption Resource Agency. About 200 parents took part in the programme.
Joint sub-registrar A. Yogendranath, Child Welfare Committee chairperson B.V.S. Kumar, WD&CW district project director K. Krishna Kumari and others were present.
