The Fourth Regional Consultation of northeastern states and Sikkim on Effective Implementation of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 with focus on status of Integrated Child Protection Services was held at the Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati in Saturday.
The programme was organized by the Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee and Gauhati High Court Juvenile Justice Committee in collaboration with State Child Protection Society, Assam, Social Welfare Department, Government of Assam and supported by UNICEF.
Justice Deepak Gupta, Judge, Supreme Court of India, while delivering the inaugural address, spoke on various initiatives to be undertaken to benefit the 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 is focused on the integrated child protection schemes so that protective environment for children could be preserved for their protection in difficult circumstances.
Jishnu Barua, additional chief secretary, Department of Social Welfare, Government of Assam, also addressed the consultation and reiterates on integrated child protection services.
He spoke on the active initiatives undertaken by the Assam Government for the well-being and protection of children.
Dr Tushar Rane, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF delivered the opening remarks.
He highlighted the centrally sponsored schemes of ICPS rolled out by the Government of India which has proved to be widely beneficial in provisioning of structure 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 are to take stock of progress on key recommendations from round three, focus on implementation of ICPS and its support for effective implementation of 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, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, Acting Chief Justice and Chairperson Juvenile Justice Act & Rule, High Court Sikkim, Justice N Kotiswar Singh, Judge, Manipur High Court, Justice S Talapatra, Judge, Tripura High Court, Stuti Kacker, Chairperson, NCPCR, Manoj Kumar, Director, MWCD among others.
