BHUBANESWAR: A year after the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act was amended to make adoption of orphaned and abandoned children simpler, Odisha has witnessed a significant rise in such children finding parental care, both within and outside the state.
As per reports of the Women and Child Development (WCD) department, 188 orphaned/ abandoned/ surrendered children have found adoptive homes in the year 2022-23. And from January to October this year, an additional 130 children have been adopted through the department’s specialised adoption agencies (SAAs).
As per the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) data, 150 (65 boys and 85 girls) children of Odisha were adopted within the country from April, 2021 to March, 2022. The number was 28 (10 boys and 18 girls) in case of inter-country adoptions from the state. There are 33 SAAs under the department in 28 districts through which children are adopted. Although the Act mandates that adoption cases should be disposed of within two months of filing of the application, usually the adoption process takes a minimum of three years.
In September last year, the Centre amended the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act thereby transferring the power of authorising adoptions from judiciary to district collectors, making the process less time-consuming and hassle-free. Earlier, after completion of all the formalities, the adoptive parent/s were required to approach the family or civil courts to get the final approval which made it a lengthy process.
Officials of the department said as per the adoption trends of the state, children in the age group of 0 to 2 years are the most preferred for adoption. “During this month which is observed as the adoption awareness month, our objective has been to promote adoption of older children, especially in the age group between 6 and 18 years and familiarise the adoption process as well as promotion of legal adoption,” said WCD Minister Basanti Hembram.
As per CARA adoption data from April 2021 to March 2022, Odisha with 150 in-country adoption figures among the top 10 states that have witnessed a majority of adoptions. While Maharashtra has the maximum 499 adoptions during this period, it is followed by Tamil Nadu (294), Karnataka (250), West Bengal (229), Telangana (178), Uttar Pradesh (174) and Odisha.
Commissioner of WCD department Shubha Sharma said the government’s commitment extends beyond the adoption process to the holistic well-being of adopted children. Support systems are actively being developed to address their unique needs, encompassing educational, psychological, and emotional aspects, ensuring they thrive in their new families, she added.
Encouraging trend
150 Odisha kids were adopted within the country from April 2021 to March 2022
There are 33 SAAs under the WCD dept in 28 districts through which children are adopted
Children in the age group of 0 to 2 years are the most preferred for adoption