Govt to launch campaign to promote adoption: Renuka

New Delhi, Apr 3 (UNI) The government is planning to launch a campaign to promote adoption of children, especially those with special needs, by sensitising people in the country, Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury said today.

Launching the newly designed website of the Central Adoption Resource Agency here, Ms Chowdhury said the procedure for adoption would be made faster, smoother and more friendly so as to prevent any illegal adoption. She said faster and smoother process would enable a lot of children to find a home and parents.

Pointing out that the adoption of children with special needs was very few in India as compared to other developed countries, Ms Chowdhury said the campaign would sensitise people and encourage them to share their love and compassion with autistic, mentally and physically challenged children and those infected with HIV/AIDS as they need love, care and support the most.

At present, about 1000 children are adopted from India by NRIs or people from other countries while about 3000 children are adopted within the country. Apart from this, a number of adoption are registered by the state bodies, many adoptions occur within families and many occur for legal purposes, she informed. However, the number of children with special need be in a adopted remains miniscule.

She said the adoption rule would be amended soon to provide monitoring of welfare of adopted children especially during the period of probation. Though the government does not want to interfere with the privacy of parents adopting their children, but CARA would be given tooth and more power to ensure the welfare of adopted children, he said.

Ms Chowdhury said an ''encouraging fact'' was the demand for adoption of girl child was more than boys. The trend of single women and more working couples adopting children is also increasing, she added.

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