Monitor ashrams, homes regularly: Guv

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 13

Emphasising the need to regularly monitor the ashrams and homes being run by the State Child Welfare Council, Governor Acharya Devvrat said today that there should be a meeting of local management committees constituted for them every three months so that they could give their important suggestions for the welfare of children.

Speaking at the governing body meeting of the HP State Child Welfare Council, he said for the better understanding of the mindset of children, there should also be a psychiatrist at the local committee and special facilities of counselling should be provided.

The committees would also maintain the register and put up their suggestions in it, which should be discussed at the meeting of the council, he added.

In view of some recent events in country, Acharya Devvrat said CCTV cameras should be installed in every ashrams and their smooth operation and supervision should be ensured regularly.

He also urged to maintain sensitivity towards the children living in the ashrams and said qualified and trained persons should be appointed and monitored for their operation.

He said society had to be more sensitive towards these children. Frequent interaction with them would instil confidence and humanitarian thought of equality of opportunities to all would pervade in society, he added.

Drug addiction is the reason behind most of the crimes, opined the Governor and expressed concern over the absence of deputy commissioners in the meeting. He said their attendance at sensitive meetings was important.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the government was implementing various schemes for the welfare of orphans, differently-abled children and destitute children while some schemes were being executed through the HP Child Welfare Council. He said the state government was providing grant-in-aid to the council for running Bal and Balika Ashram which had 308 children.

He directed the officials to speed up the construction work of the building to be constructed at a cost of Rs 805.48 lakh for school set up for specially abled children near Dhalli in Shimla. He said the construction of a building for Balika Ashram at Garli in Kangra had been completed which would be dedicated soon.

The Chief Minister said the council was running 42 crèches in the state for the children of age group up to 6 for working women and the state government was also providing gant-in-aid to the council for their proper functioning.

He said the person working as in-charge of the institute like Bal ashrams should be well trained so that he could perform his duties with more responsibility. He directed the authorities to put up concrete proposal for granting revised scale to employees of grant-in aid schemes.