NCPCR's 'Bal Swaraj' portal to aid kids orphaned due to COVID; states, UTs to share data

In view of the growing problem related to children, who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has devised an online tracking portal "Bal Swaraj (COVID-Carelink)" for children in need of care and protection, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development informed on Saturday. 

"Bal Swaraj" portal has been created with the purpose of tracking and monitoring children, who need care and protection in real-time digitally. The portal will also be used to track children, who have lost both their parents during COVID-19. The "COVID-care" link on the portal has been provided for the concerned officer or department to upload the data of such children. 

COVID-19: NCPCR devises 'Bal Swaraj' for children

"The children who have lost family support or are without any ostensible means of subsistence are children in need of care and protection under Section 2(14) of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and all procedures given under the Act for such children must be followed to ensure the well-being and best interest of children", the Ministry informed.

The "Bal Swaraj-COVID-Care" aims at tracking the children affected by COVID-19 right from their production before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), to the restoration of the children to their parent, guardian, or relative, and its subsequent follow-up. The Commission will be able to get information about whether the child is getting his/her entitlements, benefits, and entitled monetary gains, through the data filled in the portal by the District officers and State officers for each child.

"This will also allow the Commission to know whether the child has been produced before the CWC and if the orders are being passed for him/her. This will also allow them to identify if the State needs any financial assistance in getting more funds for giving benefit under implemented schemes to the children," the Ministry added.

It also informed that the Supreme Court has directed all district officers across states and Union Territories to fill in data related to children who have become orphans, on the Commission's portal under the COVID-Care link, before Saturday, May 29 evening. 

COVID-19 situation in India

India has so far recorded over 2,77,29,247 new cases, out of which 2,51,78,011 have successfully recovered and 3,22,512 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours, 1,73,790 new cases, 2,84,601 fresh recoveries and 3,617 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases in the country is 22,28,724. 

(Image: PTI, Twitter- @NCPCR, Pixabay)