Smooth sailing for juvenile Bill

The Lok Sabha today cleared two bills, the Juvenile Justice Amendment Bill as well as the Actuaries Bill. Sitting late into the night...

The Lok Sabha today cleared two bills, the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Amendment Bill as well as the Actuaries Bill. Sitting late into the night, both the bills were passed unanimously with no opposition from any of the parties.

The first Bill to be passed was the Actuaries Bill, which would enable the creation of an institutional framework for building up capacities in the field of acturial insurance sciences and would be on the lines of what has been done for chartered accountancy.

The Bill was first moved by the NDA government and thereafter referred to the standing committee. While replying to the debate, the Minister of State for Finance Pawan Bansal informed the House that the Bill incorporated most suggestions of this committee.

Thereafter the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Amendment Bill, which was first tabled in the last Monsoon Session, was re-introduced today with further amendments by the Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury. Provisions such as new definitions for adoption and for children in need for care have been incorporated. Under the new clauses, even a child who is found begging and a child who has been surrendered by parents are recognised as children in need for care.

Added to this, there would be a special Child Commission with fast-track courts which would address and resolve children-related issues, Renuka Chowdhury informed the House.

Earlier, while introducing the Bill, she stated that the new amendments have been incorporated keeping in mind that India would have the largest productive population by the year 2020. Therefore, while replying to the debate on the Bill which was supported by all parties, she said 8216;8216;it is for the first time that such a Commission would be set up when India turns 608217;8217;.

The Bill also introduces a penalty of Rs 25,000 on the media if it discloses the identity of a juvenile who is in conflict with the law.

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In another section, the new Bill has clarified who all could adopt children. For instance, adoption would be approved irrespective of marital status and for childless couples. Under the earlier amendment moved in Parliament, adoption was allowed for single parents and to childless 8216;8216;parents8217;8217;.

In order to get this law implemented at the state-level, the Minister assured the House that the government could launch a programme sensitising the police force and even the public of the new law. Interestingly, at the time this Bill was being voted, there were more number of members from the Opposition than from the ruling alliance.