GUWAHATI, Aug 4 - The fourth regional consultation of north-eastern states and Sikkim on effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 with focus on the status of integrated child protection services was held at the Assam Administrative Staff College here today.
The programme was organised by the Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee and Gauhati High Court Juvenile Justice Committee in collaboration with State Child Protection Society, Assam, Department of Social Welfare, and supported by UNICEF, an official release said.
Justice Deepak Gupta of the Supreme Court, while delivering the inaugural address, spoke on various initiatives to be undertaken to benefit children. He called for an introspection to see what changes need to be done to ensure protection and care to children in the aftermath of recent incidents.
Justice Ajit Singh, Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, in his address said that the consultation was focused on the integrated child protection schemes so that a protective environment for children could be preserved for their protection in difficult circumstances.
Jishnu Barua, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, also addressed the consultation and reiterated on integrated child protection services. He spoke on the active initiatives undertaken by the Government of Assam for the well-being and protection of children.
Dr Tushar Rane, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF, made the opening remarks. He highlighted the Centrally-sponsored schemes of ICPS rolled out by the Govt. of India which had proved to be widely beneficial in provisioning of structures and services under the Juvenile Justice Act across all the states of the country.
The welcome address was delivered by Justice Arup Kumar Goswami, Judge-in-charge, Administrative Department (JAD), Gauhati High Court.
The key objectives of the consultation were to take stock of progress on key recommendations from round three, focus on implementation of ICPS and its support for effective implementation of the JJ Act 2015 � programmatic and financial implementation as well as monitoring and review mechanisms and to make the fourth round more effective and focus on taking stock on what has been the actual progress since 2014.
Other dignitaries who attended the programme included Justice Madan B Lokur from the Supreme Court; Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, acting Chief Justice and Chairperson, JJ Act & Rule, High Court Sikkim; Justice N Kotiswar Singh from the Manipur High Court; Justice S Talapatra from the Tripura High Court; Stuti Kacker, Chairperson, NCPCR; Manoj Kumar, Director, MWCD and others.
