Thakur noted that most Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) prefer to adopt younger children, particularly those below six years of age and in normal health, through the designated CARINGS portal. “If there is availability of a lesser number of such children in the adoption pool, the waiting period for PAPs may be higher,” she stated in a written response.
Representational Image
More than 2,000 orphaned children are currently awaiting adoption across India, with West Bengal having the highest number among the states, according to data shared by the Women and Child Development Ministry. Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, presented the statistics recently, revealing that a total of 2,321 children are in the adoption pool nationwide.
Thakur noted that most Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) prefer to adopt younger children, particularly those below six years of age and in normal health, through the designated CARINGS portal. “If there is availability of a lesser number of such children in the adoption pool, the waiting period for PAPs may be higher,” she stated in a written response.
Advertisement
Among the states, West Bengal has the highest number of children awaiting adoption at 309, followed by Maharashtra with 261, Odisha with 225, Bihar with 205, and Telangana with 197.
Advertisement
The minister also provided insights into child nutrition and welfare. She stated that as per the projected population, India had approximately 13.75 crore children up to the age of five in 2021. However, only 7.49 crore children in this age group were enrolled in Anganwadis and registered on the Poshan Tracker as of February 2025.
Further, out of the 7.25 crore children measured for growth parameters like height and weight, alarming figures were recorded. About 39.09 per cent were found to be stunted, 16.60 per cent were underweight, and 5.35 per cent were wasted, indicating severe malnutrition concerns among young children in the country.
On the issue of women’s safety, Thakur informed that the women’s helpline has been integrated with the Emergency Response Support System, which has handled over 2.10 crore calls and assisted more than 84.43 lakh women so far.
Additionally, she reported that as of January 2025, 745 Fast Track Special Courts, including 404 exclusive e-POCSO courts, are operational across all states and Union territories. These courts have disposed of more than 3.06 lakh cases related to rape and offenses under the POCSO Act.
The data highlights significant challenges in child adoption, malnutrition, and women’s safety, underscoring the need for stronger policies and effective implementation to safeguard the welfare of vulnerable populations in India.
Advertisement
