New Delhi (Sputnik): India's Women and Child Development Ministry has ordered a social audit of over 9,000 childcare institutions across the country in the next 60 days, following the shocking revelation of the mass rape of minors at shelter homes in the eastern states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
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The audit will be conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which will submit its report within two months of the exercise. India has around 9,500 childcare institutions, out of which only 7,109 are registered with the government.
I propose that MPs go to institutions in their constituencies & give me reports. I'll take immediate action.A long term solution is to make large homes for 1000 women, 1000 children, with all-women staff rather than small centres. I'll sanction money:Union Minister Maneka Gandhi pic.twitter.com/6vaSI8EeBw
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2018
I propose that MPs go to institutions in their constituencies & give me reports. I'll take immediate action.A long term solution is to make large homes for 1000 women, 1000 children, with all-women staff rather than small centres. I'll sanction money:Union Minister Maneka Gandhi pic.twitter.com/6vaSI8EeBw
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2018
During a social audit of a shelter house in Muzaffarpur, Bihar by the Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), it was revealed that at least 34 underage girls had been repeatedly sexually abused by many persons, including high-profile politicians.
So horrific to read about children being forced into sex trade in NGO shelter homes of Muzzafarpur (Bihar), Deoria (UP), Yadagirigutta (Telangana). Not enough to sack authorities. Hang these rotten beasts & their politician Mai Baap for causing so much trauma in helpless children
— गीतिका (@ggiittiikkaa) August 7, 2018
On Wednesday, Manju Verma, Bihar's minister for the Social Welfare Department, resigned, bowing to pressure by opposition parties. It has been alleged that the minister's husband, Chandeshwa Verma, was a regular visitor to the shelter home where the rapes had occurred.
Meanwhile, authorities are investigating a similar case of sexual exploitation of at least 24 underage girls in the Deoria shelter home of Uttar Pradesh.
