SC calls for collaborative efforts to bring children into the adoption pool (GS Paper 1, Social Issues)
Why in news?
- The Supreme Court recently said that children living in childcare institutions whose parents had not visited them for over a year or had “unfit” parents or guardians should be identified and brought into the adoption pool.
- The court defined an “unfit guardian” as someone who is “unable or unwilling for parenting, indulging in drug or alcohol abuse, known to have abused or neglected the child, having a criminal record, in need of care themselves, mentally unsound, etc”.
Guidelines:
- A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India turned its focus on a finding by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) that many children were living in institutions for over a year with undetermined legal status.
- It said the district functionaries should make collaborative efforts to bring more such children into the adoption pool.
- The court ordered the States and Union Territories to begin a bi-monthly drive to identify children in the orphaned-abandoned-surrendered (OAS) category in the institutions, starting from December 7, 2023.
- The court also directed the States and Union Territories to compile data on potential children for adoption, especially among those languishing in the childcare institutions, and hand over the details to the CARA Director, and the Secretary with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, by January 31.
Data on OAS children & adoptive parents:
- A State-wise breakdown of the figures provided by CARA, represented by Additional Solicitor- General Aishwarya Bhati, showed that 2,146 children were available for adoption as on October 28, 2023.
- As opposed to this, about 30,669 prospective adoptive parents have been registered for in-country adoption as of October 2023.
- They have to wait for between three to four years for getting ‘a healthy and young child’ due to the huge mismatch in the number of registered prospective adoptive parents and children available for adoption.
- Further, it also emerged in court that out of 760 districts in the country, only 390 districts have specialised adoption agencies. Adding to these reasons for delay in the adoption process is the fact that prospective adoptive parents “prefer” children up to the age of two for adoption.
- CARA’s tabulation indicates that 69.4% of registered PAPs opt for children in the age group of zero to two years; 10.3% in the age group of two to four years.
Bihar urges Centre for 65 percent quota in 9th Schedule to seek legal shield
(GS Paper 2, Social Justice)
Why in news?
- The Bihar government decided to urge the Centre to incorporate the hiked reservation for deprived castes from 50 to 65 per cent in state government jobs and educational institutions in the 9th schedule of the Constitution, so that it is guaranteed immunity from legal scrutiny.
- The Ninth Schedule of the Constitution includes a list of Central and state laws that cannot be challenged in courts.
- In 1992, the Supreme Court capped reservations for the backward classes at 50 per cent.
Background:
- The state government issued gazette notifications for raising the quota for deprived castes to 65 per cent, after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar gave his assent to two bills, paving the way for implementing the new reservation system.
- Following a caste survey in Bihar, the state government tabled an analysis of it in the assembly. The House then passed two bills - Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services Amendment Bill and the Bihar Reservation (Admission in Educational Institutions) Amendment Bill - to increase the quota.
- The bills sought a hike in the quota for Scheduled Castes (SC) from 16 to 20 per cent, Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 1 to 2 per cent, extremely backward castes (EBCs) from 18 to 25 per cent and other backward classes (OBCs) from 15 to 18 per cent to elevate the total quantum of caste-based reservations from 50 to 65 per cent.
About Ninth Schedule:
- The Ninth Schedule contains a list of central and state laws which cannot be challenged in courts. Currently, 284 such laws are shielded from judicial review. Most of the laws protected under the Schedule concern agriculture/land issues.
- The Schedule became a part of the Constitution in 1951, when the document was amended for the first time. It was created by the new Article 31B, which along with 31A was brought in by the government to protect laws related to agrarian reform and for abolishing the Zamindari system.
- While 31A extends protection to ‘classes’ of laws, 31B shields specific laws or enactments.
- The First Amendment added 13 laws to the Schedule. Subsequent amendments in 1955, 1964, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1984, 1990, 1994, and 1999 have taken the number of protected laws to 284.
UP government launches Safe City project to ensure women's safety
(GS Paper 1, Social Issues)
Why in news?
- The government of Uttar Pradesh has launched a Safe City Project to enhance the safety of girls and women in the state.
Details:
- Through the Safe City Project, the government will ensure surveillance through CCTV at the entry and exit points of 17 municipal corporations along with government and non-government schools, madrassas, colleges and universities in Gautam Buddha Nagar.
- The private coaching institutes in these cities are closely monitored to avoid the gathering of troublemakers and reduce the cases of molestation.
- The government has also issued guidelines for the safety of girls in private coaching institutes prohibiting late evening classes.
Key Highlights:
- In the initial phases, the government has identified 17 municipal corporations and over 2500 schools of Gautam Buddha Nagar for the installation of CCTV cameras. Out of these, CCTVs are installed in 1692 schools, while the process of installation in the remaining schools is going on a war footing.
- There are around 26,568 CCTVs installed in these institutions, including 68 recognised government schools, 646 aided schools and 1786 unaided schools. CCTVs have been installed in these schools' classrooms, corridors, and entry and exit games.
- Under the Safe City Project, 5505 cameras were installed in 162 higher educational institutions, including 21 in state degree or PG colleges, 85 in aided degree/PG colleges, 49 in unaided degree/PG colleges and 7 in state universities.
- The regional office of Lucknow and colleges do not come under the Safe City Project.
- Along with the above-mentioned institutes, CCTV cameras will also be installed in 17 municipal corporations and 606 in the coaching institutes of Gautam Buddha Nagar.
- Around 866 cameras have already been installed in 418 coaching institutes, the process of installing cameras in the remaining 188 coaching institutes is going on. The Urban Development Department will integrate the CCTV cameras with the control room of the city.
