Government Steps Up Efforts to Prevent Misconduct in Child Care Homes: Deputy Chairperson Dr. Neelam Gorhe

Mumbai : In light of the recent misconduct incident at the Vidyadeep Children’s Home in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the government is actively working to implement special mechanisms across all child care institutions in the state to prevent such incidents in the future. This information was shared by Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, during a meeting held at the Vidhan Bhavan today.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Women and Child Development Aditi Tatkare, MLAs Chitra Wagh, Shrikant Bharatiya, Pragya Satav, Commissioner Nayana Gunde, Assistant Commissioner Rahul More, and other concerned officials.

Dr. Gorhe emphasized the urgent need for an effective policy to prevent inappropriate incidents in child care institutions. She suggested that special programs be implemented to improve girls’ education, skill development, and instill life values. She also stressed the importance of conducting on-site inspections and holding consultations with public representatives and department officials to take appropriate action.

Minister Aditi Tatkare informed the gathering that the registration of Vidyadeep Children’s Home has been cancelled. Efforts are underway to understand the issues faced by the girls housed there and to formulate solutions. She added that a survey using Google Mapping is being conducted to ensure that all child care institutions in the state are properly registered. A consolidated list of child care homes under the Tribal Development, Social Development, and Women & Child Development departments is also being prepared.

To ensure holistic development of women and to support those in distress or facing challenges, the Women and Child Development Department is implementing various schemes. These include the Women Assistance Centres, Swadhar Greh Scheme, Ujjwala Scheme, Sakhi One-Stop Centre, Child Protection Scheme, Kishori Shakti Yojana, and the Parenting Scheme. A dedicated women’s helpline (181) is also active to provide immediate assistance.