Plan to conduct ‘Adoption Melas’

State govt. wants to sensitise issueless couples on process and check illegal adoptions

June 06, 2018 01:12 am | Updated 07:32 am IST - Vijayawada

Officials of the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department are planning to conduct ‘Dattata Parichaya Vedikas’ (Adoption Melas) in all 13 districts of the State soon.

The theme of the melas is to sensitise the issueless couples on the adoption process, thereby checking illegal adoptions and sale of babies.

As many as 1,387 parents got registered (pending applications) with the government seeking children, but only 154 children, including 112 female and 42 male children, are available in the government-run Sishu Gruhas.

Speaking to The Hindu on Monday, WD&CW Commissioner H. Arun Kumar said due to the lack of awareness on adoption process, some couples are going for illegal adoptions.

14 Sishu Gruhas

Besides many children, who were fit for adoption, are slogging in the private and government homes.

“We have 14 Sishu Gruhas in the State. Due to lack of awareness on the adoption procedure, parents are opting for babies below one and two years age, and children who are above five years are retained in the homes and are deprived of parent’s love. But, children below 18 years are legally free for adoption,” Mr. Arun Kumar said.

In the last four years (from 2014 till date), as many as 440 children were given for adoption in the country, and 41 children were given for inter-country adoption.

“In all, 152 male and 288 female babies were given for adoption to foster parents in India, and six male and 12 female children were given for adoption to foreigners,” the Commissioner said.

Childless couples invited

“We will invite the issueless couples, explain about the ‘Carings Portal’ (an official portal in which the childless parents can register), adoption procedure, the rights of legal heirs, consequences of illegal adoptions during the ‘Dattata Parichaya Vedika’.

Officials of all concerned wings will participate in the melas, and the first ‘Adoption Mela’ would be conducted in Krishna district soon, the Commissioner added.

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