Latest news with #WCD
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
NHRC orders Raj govt to submit report on Udaan scheme irregularities in 4 months
Jaipur: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Rajasthan government to submit a report within four months on alleged irregularities in the Udaan scheme, an initiative by the Women and Child Development (WCD) department that provided free sanitary napkins to girls and women. In a letter to the WCD secretary, the NHRC said the commission had received a complaint that the Rajasthan government's Udaan scheme has been non-functional since September 2024 due to administrative delays, and as a result, over 1.23 crore beneficiaries have been denied access to the essential service. 'This interruption poses a serious violation of women's fundamental rights to health, hygiene, and dignity. The allegation made in the complaint prima facie seems to be serious violations of the human rights of the victims,' the letter read. A bench of the NHRC, presided over by Justice Priyank Kanoongo, ordered the Rajasthan WCD department to 'get the allegations made in the complaint inquired into and submit a report within four weeks of receiving the Commission's notice.' According to officials from the WCD department, the Udaan scheme, which receives about ₹290 crore annually, has been completely halted since September 2024 due to a delay in the tender process between the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) and the WCD. Under the scheme, launched in 2021, the Rajasthan government have distributed sanitary napkins to over 1.23 crore girls and women every month through 99,776 centres across the state. 'Each beneficiary receives 12 napkins per month,' an official from the WCD department said. The highest distribution was recorded at Anganwadi centres in 2023, which catered to 95.58 lakh women, followed by upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary schools with 23.05 lakh beneficiaries. Additionally, 2.38 lakh college students under the commissionerate of college education and 23,961 women under the department of Social Justice and Empowerment also received the benefit. Also Read: Scale up efforts on menstrual hygiene awareness in schools: Delhi HC HT reported in April that the WCD had written a letter to RMSCL saying, 'The last purchase order under the Udaan Scheme was issued by RMSCL in July 2024. Since then, no new supply orders have been issued by RMSCL to the respective beneficiaries. As a result, based on the estimated demand from July 2024 to March 2025, there has been no supply of sanitary napkins, leading to a nine-month supply gap.' 'Due to the lack of sufficient storage space at distribution centres and the risk of stock deterioration from oversupply beyond the beneficiaries' monthly needs, it has been decided to consider the possible supply gap from July 2024 to March 2025 as a reference point. Accordingly, keeping in view the earlier demand submitted by the department, it has been decided at the appropriate level to obtain the supply of sanitary napkins from RMSCL for the first schedule of the new financial year 2025–26, as per the departmental plan and district-level requirements,' it added. The department has initiated the process of collecting demand for the first schedule of the financial year 2025–26. The compiled demand will soon be provided to RMSCL so that purchase orders for FY 2025–26 can be issued based on the new demand under the departmental scheme.
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- New Indian Express
140 child labour hotspots in Kerala; 56 kids rescued
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Here's a shocker! In what could prompt immediate action, the state women and child development (WCD) department has identified 140 child labour hotspots across the state, a majority of them in Ernakulam. The hotspots were identified in a statewide survey to trace children engaged in labour and begging, and those living on the streets. The WCD conducted 704 rescue drives in the previous financial year — a majority of them in Kannur — during which 56 children were rescued and given rehabilitation support. This was part of the Saranabalyam project launched in 2017 to locate and rehabilitate children trapped in labour. In recent years, the project was strengthened by linking it with 'Kaval Plus', which enabled more sustained interventions through coordination with the police, labour, education and health departments. The highest number of hotspots were identified in Ernakulam (30) and Idukki (13), and the least in Palakkad and Kozhikode (4 each). 'There were no cases of child labour recorded in the last year. We identified the hotspots from earlier cases and by monitoring probable areas like settlements of migrant labourers who come with families, border regions, plantations and during festivals,' said WCD director Haritha V Kumar. Child labour hotspots will be monitored through regular inspections: Officials 'Children found engaged in labour or living in unsafe conditions are removed immediately and provided shelter, care, rehabilitation and repatriation through the Child Welfare Committee,' Haritha said. 'Anyone who notices a child in distress or engaged in labour can report it by calling the child helpline at 1098,' Haritha said. Another official said instances of child labour involving Keralites are very rare, though not entirely absent. 'Most children found at risk are from other states who came here with their families and are more vulnerable to exploitation. Here, people are more sensitised. There is greater awareness about education,' said the official. 'In some districts, data may show identified hotspots but no rescues. This is because these involve children working with their parents in non-strenuous roles that do not strictly qualify as child labour. Rescuing such children unnecessarily may do more harm than good. It is ensured these children are well taken care of in their homes. Surveillance, awareness and rehabilitation are more effective than relying solely on punitive action,' the official said.
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delih's juvenile homes pushed to brink with rise in crime by teens
In Kingsway Camp in north Delhi, over 100 minors are currently packed into a nondescript facility designed to house just 60 children in conflict with the law (CCLs). Every few days, police vans back up to its entrance, dropping off more boys — many of them accused of serious, sometimes violent crimes. With no place else to send them, the home simply swells beyond capacity. Overcrowding has become routine at homes housing undertrial juvenile boys across the Capital, and officials say it mirrors a sharp and sustained spike in juvenile crime. Data from the Women and Child Development (WCD) department shows that Delhi has eight homes for children in conflict with the law. Of those, five have the combined capacity to house a total of 285 boys facing trial, as of May 5, data shows. A total of 421 boys were housed in these five facilities, which together have a sanctioned capacity of only 285. Just two years ago, in May 2023, the number stood at 199 — meaning the homes were operating at roughly 70% capacity. In less than 24 months, the population has more than doubled, pushing the system to its limits. These include the Observation Home for Boys at Delhi Gate, which houses boys up to the age of 16 and has a sanctioned capacity of 75 but was home to 82 minors as of May 5. In Kingsway Camp, two Observation Homes for boys between the ages of 16 and 18 are supposed to hold 50 each — but both were housing 75. The 'Place of Safety' in Majnu ka Tilla, which is meant for older CCLs aged 16 to 18 undergoing inquiries for heinous offences and those who were caught after turning 18 for crimes committed earlier, was built to hold 60, but currently houses 110. In the same area, SPYM at Sewa Kutir in Kingsway Camp, a facility meant to provide de-addiction treatment for drug-addicted minors, was built for 50 but currently houses 79. To be sure, the remaining three facilities – one for minors convicted of crimes, and two for girls – are relatively empty. Only 21, out of the sanctioned strength of 110 in these are occupied. 'Special Home' in Majnu ka Tilla, which is meant for those found guilty and sentenced under the Juvenile Justice Act, has a sanctioned strength of 60 but housed only 16 boys. Two Observation Homes for Girls in the Nirmal Chhaya Complex on Jail Road — with capacities of 30 and 20 respectively — housed only five girls in total, the data shows. Behind the over occupation at undertrial facilities for boys is an unmistakable rise in violent offences involving minors. Police officials said that while children have long been involved in petty crime — such as pickpocketing or small-time theft — the last two years have seen a rise in brutal offences, including murder, armed robbery and gang violence. At least 20 murders involving juveniles were reported in the first three months of 2025 alone. Police sources say the pattern first emerged in early 2023 and has escalated since. 'It's hard to say exactly why so many boys are now involved in heinous crimes,' said a senior police inspector who works on gang-related cases. 'But there's no doubt gangsters like Hashim Baba and Lawrence Bishnoi are recruiting them. They know the law will be lenient. A minor who commits murder could be out in a matter of weeks or months. That's what they exploit.' Inside the homes, this change in the profile of offenders has brought new challenges. Anil Kumar, a retired WCD superintendent who managed three observation homes until 2020, said the lack of space has forced staff to get creative — sometimes using classrooms and teachers' lounges to lay out mattresses. But more than space, he said, it's the mindset of these minors that worries him. 'The boys who come in for murder — many of them have no interest in reform. They've already decided they'll go back to the gang. Classes don't help. Counselling doesn't work. And then there's the added danger of rival gang members being lodged in the same facility,' Kumar said. 'In those cases, we try to separate them. We get court permission to transfer one of them to another home or ensure they never meet — not during meals, not during recreation, not in the corridors.' The threat isn't limited to juvenile rivalries. Officials themselves have become targets. A current WCD official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'Some of us have been attacked — with improvised weapons, kitchen knives, even hot dal. The worst we're allowed to do in return is put the child in isolation for a few hours.' Child rights activist Bharti Ali, who was earlier associated with Delhi based NGO HAQ Centre for Child Rights, said that juvenile homes are 'worse than prisons' and that one of the reasons of overcrowding is that the minors are not getting released on bail. 'The staff in juvenile homes is not enough for those lodged there. They are also not motivated enough because they are contractual employees. They do more of administrative work than actual reformation. The boys just while away their time without actually undergoing any real change,' she said. Kumar said the only real solution is to build more facilities. 'The government is already spending a lot on these boys — their food, clothes, education, vocational training, medical needs. In many cases, they live better here than at home. Then why not build more homes? At least then there wouldn't be so much overcrowding.' Even for the minors, the experience of being inside is not necessarily seen as punishment. A 17-year-old boy from northeast Delhi's Jafrabad who spent three months in one of the homes earlier this year after allegedly attempting to kill a 25-year-old man said he never once thought of it as jail. 'It was a badge of honour,' he said. 'I made friends — contacts. We still keep in touch. Sometimes there were classes, sometimes not. No one really cared. We mostly just played outside all day.'
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Time of India
Kerala govt forms special cell to tackle domestic violence complaints
T'puram: Women and child development (WCD) minister Veena George announced the formation of a special cell to ensure continued support for girls and women complain of domestic violence. "The cell will work to strengthen these efforts. It is 20 years since Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act came into effect. As part of the actions, district dowry prohibition officers have been appointed," minister said after inaugurating the Rs 60-lakh Sakhi one-stop centre in Thiruvananthapuram. Currently, one such centre is operating in each of the 14 districts. Additional centres will be set up in Ernakulam and Kozhikode districts. " Support was provided to over 22,000 women and children through the one-stop centres. The interventions aim to bring positive changes in their. Continuity is of utmost importance," said the minister. "It is crucial to ensure the complainant receives a resolution to the issue raised. When a girl or woman encounters a problem, she may not be able to express everything herself. Sometimes, she may not even be able to make a phone call. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Anyone who witnesses this can report the complaint. It will be verified and action will be taken," she added. The Mitra 181 helpline number is operational for this purpose, George said. Sakhi one-stop centre is a joint initiative by the central and state govts to provide services such as counselling, medical aid, legal assistance, police protection and safe shelter under one roof for women and children who survived violence. This is implemented through the WCD department.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State to use I-T data to weed out ineligible ‘Ladki Bahin' beneficiaries
1 2 3 Pune: State govt is set to conduct a comprehensive verification of beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, leveraging income tax return data from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to ensure that the monthly Rs 1,500 aid reaches only economically weaker women. A notification issued by the CBDT on June 3 authorises the secretary of the state women and child development (WCD) department to access income tax (I-T) data under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The department has already formed a team to review the existing list of 2.5 crore applicants. Officials said the verification would help identify and remove ineligible claimants, particularly those from families with higher incomes or tax-paying members. Earlier, a scrutiny of around 2 lakh applications had revealed that 2,289 government employees had registered under the scheme. These names were promptly removed. State WCD minister Aditi Tatkare had described such verification as a routine and necessary process in the implementation of welfare schemes. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is targeted at women from low-income families, including married, widowed, divorced, abandoned and single, between the ages of 21 and 65. Eligible applicants must reside in Maharashtra, have an Aadhaar-linked bank account and belong to families with annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh. Women will be deemed ineligible if their family members are income taxpayers or are employed as regular or permanent staff in govt departments or public undertakings. Those receiving pensions, owning four-wheelers (excluding tractors) or already benefiting from other govt schemes of Rs 1,500 or more per month will also be excluded. Families of current or former MPs, MLAs or individuals holding top positions in govt boards or corporations are similarly disqualified. The officials said the integration of verified I-T data would make the screening process more accurate, reduce fraudulent claims and ensure that benefits reach the right individuals. At present, the department has 2.52 crore beneficiaries. "We have pushed the funds to accounts but it is likely that 2.47 crore would have received it," a source from the department said. Around Rs 3,719 crore was allocated for May under this scheme. CM Fadnavis says there is no diversion of funds from departments CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday told TOI that no funds from any govt department were diverted towards Ladki Bahin scheme. A section of ruling party politicians, as well as the opposition, had criticized state govt for alleged diversion of funds from key departments to sustain the Ladki Bahin scheme. On June 5, a social justice department GR stating diversion of Rs 410 crore had triggered further discussions. When asked, Fadnavis in a text message reply to TOI said, "All the schemes in which individual benefit goes to SC and ST are to be shown under tribal and social welfare department respectively. It is the budget principle and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, while preparing the budget has showed the same. Hence, the budget given to both departments increased significantly. It's not that their regular funds are being diverted or utilised for this scheme. " Pune: State govt is set to conduct a comprehensive verification of beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, leveraging income tax return data from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to ensure that the monthly Rs 1,500 aid reaches only economically weaker women. A notification issued by the CBDT on June 3 authorises the secretary of the state women and child development (WCD) department to access income tax (I-T) data under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The department has already formed a team to review the existing list of 2.5 crore applicants. Officials said the verification would help identify and remove ineligible claimants, particularly those from families with higher incomes or tax-paying members. Earlier, a scrutiny of around 2 lakh applications had revealed that 2,289 government employees had registered under the scheme. These names were promptly removed. State WCD minister Aditi Tatkare had described such verification as a routine and necessary process in the implementation of welfare schemes. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is targeted at women from low-income families, including married, widowed, divorced, abandoned and single, between the ages of 21 and 65. Eligible applicants must reside in Maharashtra, have an Aadhaar-linked bank account and belong to families with annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh. Women will be deemed ineligible if their family members are income taxpayers or are employed as regular or permanent staff in govt departments or public undertakings. Those receiving pensions, owning four-wheelers (excluding tractors) or already benefiting from other govt schemes of Rs 1,500 or more per month will also be excluded. Families of current or former MPs, MLAs or individuals holding top positions in govt boards or corporations are similarly disqualified. The officials said the integration of verified I-T data would make the screening process more accurate, reduce fraudulent claims and ensure that benefits reach the right individuals. At present, the department has 2.52 crore beneficiaries. "We have pushed the funds to accounts but it is likely that 2.47 crore would have received it," a source from the department said. Around Rs 3,719 crore was allocated for May under this scheme. CM Fadnavis says there is no diversion of funds from departments CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday told TOI that no funds from any govt department were diverted towards Ladki Bahin scheme. A section of ruling party politicians, as well as the opposition, had criticized state govt for alleged diversion of funds from key departments to sustain the Ladki Bahin scheme. On June 5, a social justice department GR stating diversion of Rs 410 crore had triggered further discussions. When asked, Fadnavis in a text message reply to TOI said, "All the schemes in which individual benefit goes to SC and ST are to be shown under tribal and social welfare department respectively. It is the budget principle and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, while preparing the budget has showed the same. Hence, the budget given to both departments increased significantly. It's not that their regular funds are being diverted or utilised for this scheme. "
