Now, Adopt A Child in 45 Days

Now, adopt a child in 45 days
Govt aims to drastically reduce waiting period for child adoption from 3
months to 45 days
Vineeta Pandey. New Delhi


For couples planning to adopt a baby, the government is going to be the
stork now. While trying to simplify the adoption procedure and making it
more transparent, the Union ministry of women and child development (WCD) is
planning to reduce the waiting period to adopt a child from 3-6 months to 45
days.

"We are smoothening the system to ease the adoption process. This is being
done especially keeping in mind the infants in the 0-6months age group who
grow rapidly in the early stages of life. It has been felt that the early
the children are given to parents the better it is for their emotional
growth," said WCD minister Renuka Chowdhury.

However, verification of the would-be parents is going to be tougher to
prevent trafficking and mistreatment of children and the government is
planning stringent monitoring system. As per government data, about 1,000
children were adopted by NRIs and foreigners while an estimated 3,000
children were adopted by Indian families in the country.
"We will also encourage adoption of children with special needs," the
minister said. He added that despite the preference for a male child in
Indian families, it is surprising to note that maximum childless couples
demand a girl child.

Meanwhile, the ministry has asked the state governments to involve
Panchayats and other local bodies to identify orphan and destitute children
so that they can be provided proper care and placed for adoption. The
ministry has also redesigned its website www.adoptionindia.nic.in to provide
adequate information to all agencies and prospective foster parents.


Publication : DNA; Section : India; Pg : 13; Date: 5/4/07
URL :
http://digital.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?edorsup=Main&queryed=9&querypage=13&boxid=30832800&parentid=37624&eddate=04/05/2007