Chandigarh, Jul 15 (PTI) Punjab has a transparent, child-centric and legally compliant adoption system that safeguards the rights and best interests of every child, said minister Baljit Kaur on Wednesday.
The social security, women and child development minister also said 134 children, including 87 orphaned and abandoned kids, have been adopted in the last three years.
Kaur was speaking at a state-level training programme on the Adoption Regulations, 2022, according to an official release.
Punjab has 26 specialised adoption agencies which are functioning across the state, she said.
The minister said the government is fully committed to ensuring that no child in the state is deprived of love, care and security of a family.
She said that during the last three years, 87 orphaned and abandoned children have been placed in legally recognised adoptive families.
Of these, 66 children were adopted within India, comprising 18 boys and 48 girls, while 21 children were adopted through inter-country adoption, including five boys and 16 girls.
During the same period, 10 children with special needs were also placed in loving and caring families.
In addition, 47 children were legally adopted by relatives and step-parents, taking the total number of children who found permanent, legally protected family environments over the last three years to 134.
The minister said these figures reflect the Punjab government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child in need grows up in a safe, nurturing and caring family environment.
The minister emphasised that effective coordination among district magistrates/deputy commissioners, chief medical officers, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) and Specialized Adoption Agencies is essential for the timely rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection and for ensuring that the entire adoption process remains transparent and legally compliant.
The training programme witnessed participation from representatives of deputy commissioners, civil surgeons/CMOs, CWCs, DCPUs, Specialized Adoption Agencies and other key stakeholders from all districts of the state.
During the technical sessions, Sayam Bin Khalid, representative of the Central Adoption Resource Authority, provided detailed insights into the key provisions of the Adoption Regulations, 2022, documentation requirements, timelines and the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders.
Prof Bhavneet Bharti, Head of the Department of Paediatrics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, also delivered a detailed session on medical examination of children, health assessment, identification of children with special needs and the importance of maintaining comprehensive medical records.
The participants also deliberated on the challenges faced during the adoption process, possible solutions and measures to strengthen inter-departmental coordination so that all stakeholders remain fully updated with the latest legal provisions and procedural guidelines governing adoption. PTI CHS KVK KVK
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