States Resisting Social Audits By NCPCR Appear To Be “Hiding Something”: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rapped the States for non-utilisation of funds under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme.Condemning the trend, the Bench comprising Justice M.B. Since funds are made available for the benefit of children, if the State Governments do not utilise them, the loss is that of children of the State.” The Court also noted that apart from non-utilisation of funds, some States have neither given utilisation certificates nor prepared any plan of action for the financial year 2018-19. The observations were issued after the Court was informed on the progress made on its order issued in May, 2017, when it had spelled out significant directives to the Centre and State Governments to ensure safety and welfare of children living in orphanages and child care institutions. It ordered, “The Union of India will also issue an advisory to all the State Governments to comply with the directions more particularly since it involves financial implications and we would not like any allegation of corruption to be made against the State Governments due to resisting social audits.” Utilisation of software On being informed that a Management Information Software was being utilised under the aegis of UNICEF in the states of Bihar and Assam, the Court directed the Ministry of Women and Child Development to get in touch with them to consider the use of the MIS for storing full details of all children in various child care institutions and plans for their rehabilitation. Re: Exploitation of Children in Orphanages in the State of Tamil Nadu The Apex Court had, in May last year, asked the State Governments to ensure that the process of registration of all child care institutions is completed before the end of the year.