Ministry of Women and Child Development
As per provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), abandoned children are considered as children in need of care and protection. The implementation of the Act is the responsibility of States/UTs. As per information provided by Central Adoption Authority Resource (CARA), gender-wise details of number of children placed in in-country and inter-country adoptions during last three years and current year (up to November, 2019) are as under:
| Year | In-country Adoption | Inter-country Adoption | ||||
| Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | |
| 2016-2017
|
1295 | 1915 | 3210 | 148 | 430 | 578 |
| 2017-2018
|
1333 | 1943 | 3276 | 198 | 453 | 651 |
| 2018-2019
|
1397 | 1977 | 3374 | 232 | 421 | 653 |
| 2019-2020
(up to November, 2019) |
845 | 1159 | 2004 | 92 | 183 | 275 |
Source: CARINGS
These are the figures of adoption only under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. A large number of domestic adoptions happen under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act (HAMA), 1956, details of which are not maintained by CARA.
The details of children supported under Child Protection Services (CPS) Scheme as informed by the States/UTs as on 28.11.2019 is at Annexure-I.
Adoptions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Adoption Regulations, 2017 are being regulated by State Adoption Resource Agency (in-country adoptions) and Central Adoption Resource Authority (inter-country adoptions).
Under the regulations, specified time-lines have been stipulated for each process and the responsibilities of different agencies have been fixed. The process of adoption is executed with the help of an online application – Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance Systems (CARINGS), in order to complete the process in transparent manner.
In case Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs) do not subscribe to the provisions of Act or Adoption Regulations, penal provisions for taking actions against SAA have been prescribed under Sections 65 (4) & 66 (3) of JJ Act, 2015 and Regulation 25 of Adoption Regulations, 2017.
Details of complaints of illegal activities reported against SAAs are at Annexure-II.
| Annexure-I
The State/UT-wise number of CCIs including children with special need under CPS Scheme as on 28.11.2019. |
|||||||
| S. No. | State | Children Home | Beneficiaries | Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs) | Beneficiaries | Open Shelter | Beneficiaries |
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | 50 | 2667 | 14 | 140 | 9 | 262 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | 4 | 155 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Assam | 30 | 1633 | 23 | 69 | 3 | 51 |
| 4 | Bihar | 13 | 687 | 13 | 138 | 5 | 134 |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | 43 | 1735 | 12 | 120 | 10 | 117 |
| 6 | Goa | 23 | 1188 | 2 | 16 | 3 | 378 |
| 7 | Gujarat | 42 | 1675 | 12 | 86 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Haryana | 20 | 1027 | 7 | 52 | 14 | 425 |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | 30 | 1236 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 91 |
| 10 | Jammu and Kashmir | 10 | 542 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Jharkhand | 25 | 576 | 15 | 93 | 5 | 141 |
| 12 | Karnataka | 62 | 2949 | 25 | 319 | 38 | 1084 |
| 13 | Kerala | 18 | 754 | 12 | 65 | 4 | 100 |
| 14 | Madhya Pradesh | 46 | 2301 | 26 | 243 | 8 | 348 |
| 15 | Maharashtra | 19 | 572 | 17 | 170 | 2 | 50 |
| 16 | Manipur | 37 | 1080 | 7 | 55 | 14 | 296 |
| 17 | Meghalaya | 41 | 912 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 159 |
| 18 | Mizoram | 26 | 989 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Nagaland | 25 | 506 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 60 |
| 20 | Odisha | 92 | 6561 | 23 | 223 | 12 | 244 |
| 21 | Punjab | 7 | 274 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Rajasthan | 51 | 1955 | 24 | 99 | 22 | 401 |
| 23 | Sikkim | 9 | 300 | 4 | 20 | 3 | 60 |
| 24 | Tamil Nadu | 187 | 12450 | 20 | 200 | 11 | 275 |
| 25 | Tripura | 19 | 710 | 6 | 49 | 2 | 58 |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | 45 | 1754 | 25 | 247 | 20 | 517 |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | 7 | 317 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 50 |
| 28 | West Bengal | 59 | 3486 | 23 | 326 | 49 | 1226 |
| 29 | Telangana | 31 | 1017 | 11 | 320 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Andaman & Nicobar | 10 | 401 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Chandigarh | 6 | 230 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Daman and Diu | 1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Lakshadweep | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | National Capital Territory of Delhi | 22 | 1137 | 3 | 72 | 13 | 380 |
| 36 | Puducherry | 25 | 1040 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 42 |
| Total | 1135 | 54841 | 348 | 3266 | 261 | 6949 | |
Annexure-II
Details of complaints of illegal activities reported against SAAs.
(after enactment of the JJ Act, 2015 i.e. – w.e.f. 15th January, 2016)
2016-2017:
| S. No. | Name of SAA | Remarks |
| 1. | Naseema Nursing Home, Mysore District, Karnataka | Cases of alleged child trafficking and sale of children from Naseema Nursing Home in Mysore District, Karnataka. Action has been taken by the State Govt. |
| 2. | JokaMillenium Old Age Home, 24 North Pargana, West Bengal | Agency closed down after agency found to be indulging in promotion of illegal adoption. |
| 3. | North Bengal’s People’s Development Centre, Jaipaiguri, West Bengal
|
Agency closed down by the State Govt. of West Bengal after agency found to be indulging in illegal adoption. |
2017-2018:
| 4. | Marwadi Charitable Trust, Jalgaon, Maharashtra | Illegal adoptions were reported. Agency closed down by Govt. of Maharashtra on the directions of CARA. |
| 5. | Mahila Jan ShishuKalyan Kendra, Bokaro, Jharkhand | The Agency was close down by the State Govt. of Jharkhand due to alleged illegal adoptions by the institution. |
| 6. | MahadevShishuGreh, Mirzapur, UP
|
The SAAs were de-licensed by the State Government after numerous complaints were received against the agencies by the prospective adoptive parents and large numbers of deaths of children were reported. Further, inquiry by the State Government revealed irregularities and poor child care by the agencies which were run by the same person. The agencies have approached the High Court of Allahabad against the decision of the State Government.
The SAA was delicensed in February 2018 by the State Government based on the inspection conducted the Officials of the State Government and the DPO. The major violations by the agency are as under :
Number of reported deaths of children in the agency |
| 7. | Shri Radha Krishna ShishuGreh, Varanasi, UP | |
| 8. | MaaVindhyavasiniMahilaPrashikshanEvamSamajSewaSanstha, Deoria, UP
|
The agency was delicensed by the State Government as they were involved in the irregularities, which was investigated by SIT under the directions of the High Court of Allahabad. |
2018-2019:
| 9. | PallishriMahilaSamiti, Kendrapada, Odisha
|
The SAA has been fined of Rs.50,000/- under the Section 65(4) of the JJ Act, 2015 and received on 17/05/2019. |
| 10. | Udaan (Kilkari), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
|
An inquiry was carried out against the agency and based on the recommendations of the Inquiry Committee report; Ministry has issued an order to Govt. of Madhya Pradesh recommending closure of the agency immediately. The SAA has taken a stay order against the said order from the Hon’ble High Court, Jabalpur, MP and inquiry related to the case is going on. The next hearing date is due on 09/12/2019. |
2019-2020 (upto 02/12/2019):
| 11. | Snehankur Adoption Centre
Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
|
A complaint received on 10/06/2019 from PAPs regarding payment of Rs. 29,700/- in cash and a donation of Rs. 10,000/- through cheque without name and also Rs. 40,000/- through cheque in favaour of Snehalaya Sanchit Snehankur. Enquiry under process. |
| 12. | BalVikas
Mumbai, Maharashtra
|
A complaint received on 26/04/2019 from PAPs regarding payment of Rs. 10,000/- being charged by lawyer from SAA. After CARA intervention, SAA returned the said amount to PAPs. A warning issued by the State Government on intervention of CARA. Money refund to the PAPs. |
| 13. | District Probation & After Care Association
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
|
A complaint received on 26/06/2019 from a Single Male PAP regarding misleading information given by SAA for the adoption of Twin Child as Special Need, which was not specified by the SAA in CARINGS. |
| 14. | SaraswatiShishuGreh
Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh |
A complaint received on 08/07/2019 from PAPs regarding Rs.10,000/- being charged by lawyer from SAA. |
| 15. | Ecovik, Gaya, Bihar | A complaint dated 18/09/2019 received against a child (Inter-country adoption case) regarding sexual abuse. The said SAA has been closed down by the State Government. |
| 16. | NiveditaKalyanSamithi, Rewa, MP |
The complaint was received from AFAA in September, 2019 and further, a letter has been given to DGP Police, MP for conducting investigation and necessary action and the Ministry, SCPCR, NCPCR and State Government have been informed about the same. FIR has been done under POCSO, IPC and SC/ST Act and the child has been transferred to SAA- SewaBharti, Satna, MP. |
This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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