The Jammu and Kashmir Government has assured the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to table a revised Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act in the Assembly to look after children in need of care and protection.
The assurance was given by the Jammu and Kashmir Law Secretary to an NCPCR team that was visiting the state from June 24.
The team comprising NCPCR members Vinod Kumar Tikoo and Dr Yogesh Dube met Secretary Law and impressed upon the need for an effective juvenile law in place along with the relevant rules of the law that need to be notified at the earliest addressing the entitlements of children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with law.
The Law Secretary was very responsive and informed that the revised Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act in consonance with the Central Act, defining a child to be one who has not completed 18 years, is likely to be tabled in the Assembly in the coming session during August-September”, a release from NCPCR said today.
The team was also informed that the Juvenile Justice Act Bill, relating to the setting up of SCPCR, is also being tabled in the same session as the present government had taken up the issue of protection of child rights as a priority.
“The civil society was very responsive and discussed various issues that need to be in place, including the issue of birth registration, the right to health care and educational rights which need to be stepped up”, Tikoo said.
The delegation also met Governor N N Vohra and informed about the NCPCR’s work in various other states, including the areas of civil unrest and also discussed the issue of setting up a state commission in Jammu and Kashmir.
The team visited the recently established juveniles in Observation Home at Harvan and the Bal Ashram at Nishad.
The release said the delegation also had a separate meeting with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir and the Dean and various heads of departments and discussed the possibilities of involving students in the social and audit mechanism.
