Department of Social & Tribal Welfare Ladakh organises workshop on JJ Act, Child Protection Scheme

LEH, October 18: A three-day training on recent amendments in the Juvenile Justice Act & Child Protection Scheme for functionaries of Mission Vatsalya, UT Ladakh and Saksham Anganwadi – Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi was inaugurated by Commissioner Secretary Padma Angmo today.

Organised by the Department of Social and Tribal Welfare, UT Ladakh, a team of professionals from National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) Regional Centre, Mohali is conducting the workshop.

K. Sunita Seshadri, Deputy Director, NIPCCD, Regional Centre, Mohali spoke of the importance of early child care in the age group pf 3 to 6 years and the need to change the perceptions linked with Anganwadi Centres and providing only nutrition. She stated that with the aim of changing this perception, Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi program was introduced under Mission Poshan 2.0 and stressed on the role of the community in making it successful.

Seshadri also stressed the need to develop a thematic curriculum, specific to Ladakh and stated that NIPCCD will assist the Department to achieve the desired curriculum for the preschoolers of Ladakh. Further, she also stated that Anganwadi Centres will also start issuing assessment cards, which will further enhance the credibility of the centres. Fine-tuning usage of the Poshan Tracker, minutely studying Micro-nutrient deficiency in children of Ladakh and focus on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) specifically under Poshan Bhi Padai Bhi, were also highlighted by Seshadri.

Sunil Kumar, Asst. Director, NIPCCD spoke of the need for regular capacity-building workshops for the functionaries to stay updated with the amendments in the Juvenile Justice Act from time to time and therefore its effective implementation.

Commissioner Secretary Padma Angmo expressed her satisfaction about the various trainings being conducted for the functionaries of the Social & Tribal Welfare Department and urged the participants to make the most of such training conducted by a group of highly qualified professionals from the field. The Commissioner Secretary urged Director Tashi Dolma to set a target to develop a local curriculum and highlighted the importance of introducing life skills as part of early education in the age groups 3 to 6 years of age.

During the course of the day, Sunil Kumar, Asst. Director, NIPCCD RC (M) addressed the participants on the “Salient Features of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 & its Amendments 2021 & Rules 2022, while Sonali Kumari, Asst. Director NIPCCD RC (M) took a session on Mission Vatsalya: Structural Framework and Institutional Services.

Post lunch, Dr. Monika Sharma, Assistant Director, NIPCCD RC (M) took a session on Mission Vatsalya: An Overview of Non-Institutional Services.