NEW DELHI: The government is not considering any proposal to reserve 5 per cent of jobs in government establishments for orphans, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, said, “Presently, there is no such proposal under consideration of the government,” in response to a question on whether the government was considering such a reservation.
The minister stated that the Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry administers the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015), as amended in 2021, which is the primary legislation for ensuring the safety, security, dignity and well-being of children in need of care and protection, as well as children in conflict with the law.
The Act caters to their basic needs, care, protection, development, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration. It establishes statutory structures at the state and district levels, including the State Child Protection Society, Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards and District Child Protection Units.
It also provides for the establishment of Child Care Institutions.
Thakur informed the House that there are 2,559 child care institutions in the country funded during 2024–25, and about 76,882 children were provided with institutional support during the period.