Supreme Court Permits Maharashtra Government To Submit Proposal To Centre Under CPS Scheme To Start 20 Open Shelter Homes For Children In Street Situations
The Supreme Court, on Friday, granted permission to the Maharashtra Government to submit a proposal to the Union Government for starting 20 open shelters under the Children Protection Services (CPS) Scheme within a period of one week. It directed the Union Government to decide the application within two months thereafter. The Maharashtra Government was also directed to make an application...
The Supreme Court, on Friday, granted permission to the Maharashtra Government to submit a proposal to the Union Government for starting 20 open shelters under the Children Protection Services (CPS) Scheme within a period of one week. It directed the Union Government to decide the application within two months thereafter. The Maharashtra Government was also directed to make an application to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for approval for starting the open shelters.
While hearing the suo moto matter pertaining to Children in Street Situation (CiSS), a Bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai and A.S. Bopanna noted that as per the report submitted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), 5000 CiSS had been identified in Maharashtra. It was apprised by Advocate, Mr. Sachin Patil, appearing for the State of Maharashtra that in order to provide the community-based facilities to the identified CiSS the State would require more open shelters.
The State of Maharashtra had submitted a proposal to the Union of Indian under the CPS Scheme seeking its approval to open 26 shelters run by NGOs. The bifurcation as per the State Government's proposal is as under -
| Area | No. of Open Shelters |
| Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation | 4 |
| Mira Bhayandar Corporation | 1 |
| Ulhasnagar | 1 |
| Pune | 3 |
| Pimpri Chinchwad | 1 |
| Solapur | 2 |
| Sangli Miraj | 1 |
| Malegaon | 1 |
| Jalgaon | 1 |
| Aurangabad | 2 |
| Nanded | 2 |
| Latur | 2 |
| Parbhani | 2 |
| Nagpur | 1 |
| Akola | 1 |
| Chandrapur | 1 |
Responding to its request the Union Government had filed an affidavit before the Apex Court stating that the budgetary allocation for the CPS Scheme had been increased from Rs. 900 crore for the previous financial year to Rs. 1472.17 crore for the current financial year. Accordingly, the Bench asked the State Government to make fresh applications for the current financial years i.e. 2022-2023.
[Case Title: In Re Children in Street Situations SMW (Civil) No. 6 of 2021]
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