Chandigarh, June 19:
The Punjab Government is committed to ensuring a bright future for destitute and orphaned children across the state by making the adoption process fully legal, secure and transparent.
Addressing a one-day state-level training programme on ‘Adoption Regulation-2022’ organised today at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh, Punjab’s Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister, Dr. Baljit Kaur, stressed the need to make the legal adoption process more efficient and sensitive. She stated that this training programme was organised to sensitize and equip officials of the concerned departments to ensure that there are no legal hurdles in the adoption process, thereby guaranteeing a secure future for such children.
The programme was organised by the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab, with the support of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), Mohali.
Expressing concern over the harsh reality of society, Dr. Baljit Kaur said it is unfortunate that incidents of newborns being abandoned or harmed still occur. She appealed to well-off and capable families to come forward and legally adopt such orphaned and destitute children as a humane gesture. This would not only provide parental love to these children but also secure their future.
The Minister emphasized that the objective of this training programme is to ensure that all stakeholders involved in the adoption process are fully aware of its legal framework. This, she added, will help ensure that every adoption in the future is carried out as per prescribed rules, safeguarding the rights of the children.
Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated that the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to providing love, security, and a bright future to every child. She said that the implementation of ‘Adoption Regulation-2022’ in the state is a significant step toward bringing new hope into the lives of orphaned children by providing them with loving homes.
Chairman of the Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission, Kanwardeep Singh, lauded the initiative, stating that such state-level programmes would enhance the knowledge and capacity of officials and staff directly involved in the adoption process. He noted that with the implementation of safe and legal adoption systems by the Punjab Government, not only would destitute children find loving homes, but their future would also be secured.
CARA CEO Bhavna Saxena also praised the Punjab Government’s efforts in organising this state-level training under ‘Adoption Regulation-2022’. She remarked that the adoption process is often complex and sensitive, and any loopholes can lead to serious challenges for both children and adoptive families. She emphasized that such regular training programmes are crucial — not only to enhance the knowledge and competence of officials involved but also to raise awareness in society so that more such children can find secure and loving homes.
Prominent participants in the training programme included Dr. Shena Aggarwal, Director, Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Special Secretary Keshav Hingonia, Additional Secretary Vimmi Bhullar, alongside officers from District Magistrate offices, Chief Medical Officers, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), Special Adoption Agencies (SAAs), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) and other related departments, who participated with enthusiasm.