The Supreme Court has passed a number of directions including setting up of a data base of children living in orphanages and child care institutions to ensure their safety and welfare.
The court has directed the Centre, state governments and union territories to complete the registration of all child care institutions by year-end.
It said, the registration process should also include a data base of all children who are in need of care and protection and update it every month. The court said, Central schemes like skill development and vocational training must be taken advantage of keeping in mind the need to rehabilitate such children.
The verdict came on a PIL filed on the basis of a 2007 newspaper report alleging that orphanages in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, run by NGOs as well as government institutions, were reportedly involved in systematic sexual abuse of children.
