All NRI marriages solemnised in India would have to be registered within 48 hours, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said today.

As of now, there is no time frame to register marriages in India. However, a Law Commission report has recommended that the time limit to register marriages should be restricted to 30 days after which a penalty of Rs 5 per day could be imposed.

"NRI marriages have to be registered&nbsp;within 48 hours, else the passport and visas would not be issued," Gandhi said, adding that the WCD Ministry is in the process of issuing orders to the registrars that details of such marriages should be provided to it so that a central database can be maintained.

The ministry had earlier constituted an Integrated Nodal Agency (INA) with representatives from the ministries of External Affairs, Home Affairs and Law and Justice to look into matrimonial disputes involving Non-resident Indians (NRI).&nbsp;

According to the recommendation of the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the decisions taken in the INA, look-out circulars are issued as per criteria defined by the MHA, for keeping a watch on arrival or departure of NRI husbands and preventing them from leaving India, Gandhi said.

"The ministry has recently issued six look-out circulars in such cases and in five cases, passports were revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs," she said, listing various achievements of her ministry in the last four years.&nbsp;

She said that a change in the statute by the Law Ministry allowing authorities to hold the properties of NRI offenders in escrow in case they abscond abandoning their spouse is awaited before the databases can be finalised.&nbsp;

Escrow is a legal concept in which a financial instrument or an asset is held by a third party on behalf of two other parties that are in the process of completing a transaction.

"That is where we are held up and hopefully it will be sorted out at a meeting on&nbsp;June 11&nbsp;and once that is done, we can create 'Lakshman rekha' of safety for women who marry people who come from abroad," she said.

She also talked about the provisions in the new taxi policy guidelines for an improved women's safety policy which were issued in 2017 by the Ministry of Transport and Highways.

"The measures include mandatory GPS panic devices in all taxis, disabling of child-lock system, prominent display of driver's identification with photo and registration number of the vehicle and sharing of seat to be subject to the willingness of female passengers," she said.

All NRI marriages solemnised in India would have to be registered within 48 hours, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said

All NRI marriages solemnised in India would have to be registered within 48 hours, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said today. As of now, there is no time frame to register marriages in India. However, a Law Commission report has recommended that the time limit to register marriages should be restricted to 30 days after which a penalty of Rs 5 per day could be imposed. "NRI marriages have to be registered within 48 hours, else the passport and visas would not be issued," Gandhi said, adding that the WCD Ministry is in the process of issuing orders to the registrars that details of such marriages should be provided to it so that a central database can be maintained. The ministry had earlier constituted an Integrated Nodal Agency (INA) with representatives from the ministries of External Affairs, Home Affairs and Law and Justice to look into matrimonial disputes involving Non-resident Indians (NRI). According to the recommendation of the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the decisions taken in the INA, look-out circulars are issued as per criteria defined by the MHA, for keeping a watch on arrival or departure of NRI husbands and preventing them from leaving India, Gandhi said. "The ministry has recently issued six look-out circulars in such cases and in five cases, passports were revoked by the Ministry of External Affairs," she said, listing various achievements of her ministry in the last four years. She said that a change in the statute by the Law Ministry allowing authorities to hold the properties of NRI offenders in escrow in case they abscond abandoning their spouse is awaited before the databases can be finalised. Escrow is a legal concept in which a financial instrument or an asset is held by a third party on behalf of two other parties that are in the process of completing a transaction. "That is where we are held up and hopefully it will be sorted out at a meeting on June 11 and once that is done, we can create 'Lakshman rekha' of safety for women who marry people who come from abroad," she said. She also talked about the provisions in the new taxi policy guidelines for an improved women's safety policy which were issued in 2017 by the Ministry of Transport and Highways. "The measures include mandatory GPS panic devices in all taxis, disabling of child-lock system, prominent display of driver's identification with photo and registration number of the vehicle and sharing of seat to be subject to the willingness of female passengers," she said.

All NRI marriages to be registered within 48 hours: Maneka Gandhi

Disturbed over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in the Jammu region, Union minister Maneka Gandhi has asked her department to work on a proposal to amend the POCSO law to bring in the provision of death penalty for the rape of a minor below the age of 12 years.

In the present Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, there is no provision for capital punishment with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment for penetrative sexual assault as well aggravated penetrative sexual assault.

The Women and Children Development (WCD) minister has now proposed that rape of any child below the age of 12 years could lead to the death penalty, WCD officials said.

"I have been deeply, deeply disturbed by the rape case in Kathua and all the recent rape cases that have happened on children. I and the (women and child development) ministry intend to bring an amendment to the POCSO Act asking for death penalty for rape of children below 12 years," Maneka Gandhi was heard saying in a video, which was uploaded on Twitter.

The minor girl in the Kathua case, who belonged to the minority nomadic community, had disappeared from near her home in the forests next to a village in Kathua, 90 km from here, on January 10.

A week later, her body was found in the same area, and medical examination pointed towards sexual assault.

During initial investigations, the police arrested a juvenile. Later, the case was transferred to the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch.

Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and later, another five people, including a former revenue official and the alleged conspirator, who surrendered before the Special Investigation Team, were arrested.

The Crime Branch, which probed the rape and killing of the girl, had filed a main charge sheet against seven people and a separate charge sheet against the juvenile in a court in Kathua district earlier this week.

Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal incident. The bar associations have been opposing the action against the accused, alleging that the minority Dogras were being targeted.

Lawyers took to the streets shouting slogans and trying to block the road outside the court where the charge sheets were filed.

The court has fixed the next date of hearing on April 16 when the case would be committed to sessions court for trial.&nbsp

In the present Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, there is no provision for capital punishment with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment for penetrative sexual assault as well aggravated penetrative sexual assault.

Disturbed over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in the Jammu region, Union minister Maneka Gandhi has asked her department to work on a proposal to amend the POCSO law to bring in the provision of death penalty for the rape of a minor below the age of 12 years. In the present Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, there is no provision for capital punishment with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment for penetrative sexual assault as well aggravated penetrative sexual assault. The Women and Children Development (WCD) minister has now proposed that rape of any child below the age of 12 years could lead to the death penalty, WCD officials said. "I have been deeply, deeply disturbed by the rape case in Kathua and all the recent rape cases that have happened on children. I and the (women and child development) ministry intend to bring an amendment to the POCSO Act asking for death penalty for rape of children below 12 years," Maneka Gandhi was heard saying in a video, which was uploaded on Twitter. The minor girl in the Kathua case, who belonged to the minority nomadic community, had disappeared from near her home in the forests next to a village in Kathua, 90 km from here, on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area, and medical examination pointed towards sexual assault. During initial investigations, the police arrested a juvenile. Later, the case was transferred to the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch. Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and later, another five people, including a former revenue official and the alleged conspirator, who surrendered before the Special Investigation Team, were arrested. The Crime Branch, which probed the rape and killing of the girl, had filed a main charge sheet against seven people and a separate charge sheet against the juvenile in a court in Kathua district earlier this week. Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal incident. The bar associations have been opposing the action against the accused, alleging that the minority Dogras were being targeted. Lawyers took to the streets shouting slogans and trying to block the road outside the court where the charge sheets were filed. The court has fixed the next date of hearing on April 16 when the case would be committed to sessions court for trial.

Maneka Gandhi proposes death penalty for rape of children below 12 years

Human Resources and Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said that a resolution was passed Monday to ensure every classroom in the country&nbsp;had a digital board in the next five to seven years.

&quot;Just like operation black board ensured black boards in every classroom, today resolution was passed for operation digital board, so as to ensure there is a digital board in every class in coming 5-7 years,&quot; Javadekar said.&nbsp;

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Just like operation black board ensured black boards in every classroom, today resolution was passed for operation digital board, so as to ensure there is a digital board in every class in coming 5-7 years: HRD Minister P. Javadekar after Central Advisory Board of Education meet <a href="https://t.co/VlGqcfYg03">pic.twitter.com/VlGqcfYg03</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/952894556323876865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Javadekar was addressing the first day of the 65th Central Advisory Board of Education meeting.

The main focus of the meeting was to improve the quality and accountability of school education.

Javadekar said the digital boards woiuld help generate student interest and would also make teachers more accountable.

The meeting was also attended by Union Ministers Maneka Gandhi, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

At the meeting, Gandhi suggested career counselling from class 9 onwards and employing women drivers and helpers in school buses.

Gandhi also talked about child sexual abuse, saying all students should be shown the film &quot;Komal-A film on Child Sexual Abuse&quot;&nbsp;to make them aware of the &quot;good touch&quot; and the &quot;bad touch&quot;.&nbsp;

'Today resolution was passed for operation digital board, so as to ensure there is a digital board in every class in coming 5-7 years,' Prakash Javadekar said

Human Resources and Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said that a resolution was passed Monday to ensure every classroom in the country had a digital board in the next five to seven years. "Just like operation black board ensured black boards in every classroom, today resolution was passed for operation digital board, so as to ensure there is a digital board in every class in coming 5-7 years," Javadekar said. Just like operation black board ensured black boards in every classroom, today resolution was passed for operation digital board, so as to ensure there is a digital board in every class in coming 5-7 years: HRD Minister P. Javadekar after Central Advisory Board of Education meet pic.twitter.com/VlGqcfYg03 — ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2018 × Javadekar was addressing the first day of the 65th Central Advisory Board of Education meeting. The main focus of the meeting was to improve the quality and accountability of school education. Javadekar said the digital boards woiuld help generate student interest and would also make teachers more accountable. The meeting was also attended by Union Ministers Maneka Gandhi, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. At the meeting, Gandhi suggested career counselling from class 9 onwards and employing women drivers and helpers in school buses. Gandhi also talked about child sexual abuse, saying all students should be shown the film "Komal-A film on Child Sexual Abuse" to make them aware of the "good touch" and the "bad touch".

All classrooms to have digital boards in 5-7 years: HRD Minister

India`s minister for women has warned Bollywood producers over sexual harassment in the Hindi film industry after a scandal that has brought down some leading Hollywood figures. 
 
Maneka Gandhi wrote to leading production houses reminding them that they are &quot;ethically and legally&quot; responsible for providing a &quot;safe, secure and inclusive work environment&quot; for all staff under Indian law. 
 
Bollywood has not so far faced the kind of allegations that have rocked the US film industry and led to the downfall of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. 
 
But last month a Bollywood actress said she had been harassed by an unnamed director early in her career. 
 
India`s Ministry of Women and Child Development said in a series of tweets late Wednesday that Gandhi had written letters to 24 producers urging them to comply with India`s 2013 sexual harassment act.

&quot;The aim of this law is to ensure that no woman is sexually harassed at her workplace,&quot; she wrote.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This is to be followed in letter and spirit by all organisations in the country and I expect you to personally lead these efforts with sincerity and commitment, in accordance with all the applicable laws,&quot; Gandhi added.

It follows an interview that Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar gave to the Mumbai Mirror tabloid in November in which she said she had &quot;lost a few roles&quot; over the years because she &quot;didn`t give in&quot; to unwanted advances.

Bhaskar urged aspiring actresses to reject parts rather than &quot;get on the couch&quot;, a reference to the &quot;casting couch&quot; culture where young women are expected to exchange sexual favours to be cast in a film. 
 
The issue is almost never discussed in Indian media or talked about openly by Bollywood stars, but aspiring actors and actresses are known to regularly share their experiences of it privately.&nbsp; 
 
Since the Weinstein scandal first broke some Indian actresses, including Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadha, have said Bollywood needs to create an environment where victims can speak out without fear of being ostracised or trolled on social media. 
 
Bhaskar said in her interview that the cliquey nature of Bollywood, where many of the leading stars and directors are either friends or related, made going public with allegations difficult. 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Since the Weinstein scandal first broke some Indian actresses have said Bollywood needs to create an environment where victims can speak out without fear of being ostracised or trolled on social media.

India`s minister for women has warned Bollywood producers over sexual harassment in the Hindi film industry after a scandal that has brought down some leading Hollywood figures. Maneka Gandhi wrote to leading production houses reminding them that they are "ethically and legally" responsible for providing a "safe, secure and inclusive work environment" for all staff under Indian law. Bollywood has not so far faced the kind of allegations that have rocked the US film industry and led to the downfall of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. But last month a Bollywood actress said she had been harassed by an unnamed director early in her career. India`s Ministry of Women and Child Development said in a series of tweets late Wednesday that Gandhi had written letters to 24 producers urging them to comply with India`s 2013 sexual harassment act. "The aim of this law is to ensure that no woman is sexually harassed at her workplace," she wrote. "This is to be followed in letter and spirit by all organisations in the country and I expect you to personally lead these efforts with sincerity and commitment, in accordance with all the applicable laws," Gandhi added. It follows an interview that Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar gave to the Mumbai Mirror tabloid in November in which she said she had "lost a few roles" over the years because she "didn`t give in" to unwanted advances. Bhaskar urged aspiring actresses to reject parts rather than "get on the couch", a reference to the "casting couch" culture where young women are expected to exchange sexual favours to be cast in a film. The issue is almost never discussed in Indian media or talked about openly by Bollywood stars, but aspiring actors and actresses are known to regularly share their experiences of it privately. Since the Weinstein scandal first broke some Indian actresses, including Kalki Koechlin and Richa Chadha, have said Bollywood needs to create an environment where victims can speak out without fear of being ostracised or trolled on social media. Bhaskar said in her interview that the cliquey nature of Bollywood, where many of the leading stars and directors are either friends or related, made going public with allegations difficult.

Maneka Gandhi warns Bollywood producers over sexual harassment in industry

Anti-terror probe agency NIA could be empowered to investigate cases of human trafficking, in what seems to be a breakthrough in the nearly year-long consultations among various stakeholders, including the home ministry and the ministry of women and child development.

Sources say the additional responsibility for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would be part of the proposed anti-human trafficking law unveiled by Maneka Gandhi last year.

The move will also require amending the law that gave birth to the counter-terrorism agency -- the National Investigation Act, 2008.

The Draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016, proposed setting up a National Bureau on Trafficking in Person for &quot;prevention, investigation of the trafficking of persons cases and protection of the victims of trafficking&quot; -- a role which could be performed by the NIA, sources said.

&quot;The ministry of home affairs (MHA) wanted NIA to investigate trafficking and we have agreed to that. MHA has also given its approval for the draft Bill. After we get a green flag from Prime Minister&#39;s Office, a Cabinet note will be circulated,&quot; according to a top official of the ministry of women and child development.

Another official said that &quot;a cell within NIA&quot; could be probing human trafficking cases.

After the Union Cabinet gives its approval, the draft bill will be tabled before Parliament.

&quot;Traffickers enjoy immunity because local police agencies are not able to probe inter-state or cross-border crimes. We require a nodal agency as 80-90 per cent of trafficking cases span across various states,&quot; said President of NGO Shakti Vahini, Ravi Kant, explaining why activists have been seeking a central body to probe human trade.

Government officials say that in order to empower the NIA to investigate trafficking cases the National Investigation Act, 2008, will have to be amended.

The NIA was set up by the previous UPA government in 2009 to probe terrorist activities in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people.

As per the National Investigation Act, the anti-terror body is empowered to probe offences under eight specified laws, including the Atomic Energy Act 1962, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, and the Anti-Hijacking Act 1982.

The proposed anti-human trafficking legislation will be independent of the existing law on trafficking in relation to prostitution -- Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 -- while a section of the civil society has sought an umbrella law.

The draft law divides offences into &quot;trafficking&quot; and &quot;aggravated trafficking&quot;. The punishment for offences in the former category is rigorous imprisonment between 7 and 10 years and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh, while aggravated forms of trafficking will invite a jail term of between 10 years and life imprisonment and a fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh.

Aggravated trafficking will include trafficking of children, transgenders, differently-abled, pregnant women and those which involve the use of drugs and alcohol.

There is also a provision for a national committee as well as a central fund for the relief and rehabilitation services for the victims.

Sources say the additional responsibility for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would be part of the proposed anti-human trafficking law unveiled by Maneka Gandhi last year

Anti-terror probe agency NIA could be empowered to investigate cases of human trafficking, in what seems to be a breakthrough in the nearly year-long consultations among various stakeholders, including the home ministry and the ministry of women and child development. Sources say the additional responsibility for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would be part of the proposed anti-human trafficking law unveiled by Maneka Gandhi last year. The move will also require amending the law that gave birth to the counter-terrorism agency -- the National Investigation Act, 2008. The Draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016, proposed setting up a National Bureau on Trafficking in Person for "prevention, investigation of the trafficking of persons cases and protection of the victims of trafficking" -- a role which could be performed by the NIA, sources said. "The ministry of home affairs (MHA) wanted NIA to investigate trafficking and we have agreed to that. MHA has also given its approval for the draft Bill. After we get a green flag from Prime Minister's Office, a Cabinet note will be circulated," according to a top official of the ministry of women and child development. Another official said that "a cell within NIA" could be probing human trafficking cases. After the Union Cabinet gives its approval, the draft bill will be tabled before Parliament. "Traffickers enjoy immunity because local police agencies are not able to probe inter-state or cross-border crimes. We require a nodal agency as 80-90 per cent of trafficking cases span across various states," said President of NGO Shakti Vahini, Ravi Kant, explaining why activists have been seeking a central body to probe human trade. Government officials say that in order to empower the NIA to investigate trafficking cases the National Investigation Act, 2008, will have to be amended. The NIA was set up by the previous UPA government in 2009 to probe terrorist activities in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. As per the National Investigation Act, the anti-terror body is empowered to probe offences under eight specified laws, including the Atomic Energy Act 1962, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, and the Anti-Hijacking Act 1982. The proposed anti-human trafficking legislation will be independent of the existing law on trafficking in relation to prostitution -- Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 -- while a section of the civil society has sought an umbrella law. The draft law divides offences into "trafficking" and "aggravated trafficking". The punishment for offences in the former category is rigorous imprisonment between 7 and 10 years and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh, while aggravated forms of trafficking will invite a jail term of between 10 years and life imprisonment and a fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh. Aggravated trafficking will include trafficking of children, transgenders, differently-abled, pregnant women and those which involve the use of drugs and alcohol. There is also a provision for a national committee as well as a central fund for the relief and rehabilitation services for the victims.

NIA likely to probe human trafficking cases

India&#39;s woman and child development minister Maneka Gandhi has asked external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to help rescue a 16-year-old girl from Hyderabad who has allegedly been married off to a sheikh&nbsp;from Oman for Rs 5 lakh.

The sheik is reportedly in his 60s. 
 
Gandhi took to Twitter to respond to media reports on the incident which she termed as &quot;deeply disturbing&quot;.

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I would request Smt. <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj">@SushmaSwaraj</a> to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman.
&mdash; Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) <a href="https://twitter.com/Manekagandhibjp/status/898139138448216065">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage,&quot; she tweeted.

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Also have come to know that the Sheikh&#39;s family is harassing her, trying all steps to ensure she is back in India: V. Satyanarayana,DCP <a href="https://t.co/C2Z0IijokE">pic.twitter.com/C2Z0IijokE</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/898223769088479232">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I would request @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman,&quot; the minister wrote on Twitter. 
 
She also asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to contact the girl&#39;s family members. 
 
According to media reports, the girl -- styding in class VIII -- was married to the 65-year-old sheikh, named as Ahmed, from Oman three months ago for Rs 5 lakh. 
 
The girl&#39;s parents had on Wednesday filed a complaint with the police&nbsp;alleging that her aunt had facilitated the illegal marriage for money.&nbsp;

'I would request @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman,' Maneka wrote on Twitter

India's woman and child development minister Maneka Gandhi has asked external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to help rescue a 16-year-old girl from Hyderabad who has allegedly been married off to a sheikh from Oman for Rs 5 lakh. The sheik is reportedly in his 60s. Gandhi took to Twitter to respond to media reports on the incident which she termed as "deeply disturbing". I would request Smt. @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman. — Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) August 17, 2017 × "Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage," she tweeted. Also have come to know that the Sheikh's family is harassing her, trying all steps to ensure she is back in India: V. Satyanarayana,DCP pic.twitter.com/C2Z0IijokE — ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2017 × "I would request @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman," the minister wrote on Twitter. She also asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to contact the girl's family members. According to media reports, the girl -- styding in class VIII -- was married to the 65-year-old sheikh, named as Ahmed, from Oman three months ago for Rs 5 lakh. The girl's parents had on Wednesday filed a complaint with the police alleging that her aunt had facilitated the illegal marriage for money.

Maneka Gandhi asks Sushma Swaraj to help rescue 16-year-old married to Oman sheikh

Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi after facing difficulty in breathing was admitted to Pilibhit district hospital&nbsp;in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.&nbsp;

The officials said that she&#39;s been diagnosed with gallbladder stones and will be airlifted to Delhi for further treatment.

The union minister, who represents Pilibhit in the lower house of the Parliament, was admitted to the emergency ward and is being attended by a heart specialist.

Maneka had reached Pilibhit today morning.

(ANI)

According to officials, she has been diagnosed with gallbladder stones

Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi after facing difficulty in breathing was admitted to Pilibhit district hospital in Uttar Pradesh on Friday. The officials said that she's been diagnosed with gallbladder stones and will be airlifted to Delhi for further treatment. The union minister, who represents Pilibhit in the lower house of the Parliament, was admitted to the emergency ward and is being attended by a heart specialist. Maneka had reached Pilibhit today morning. (ANI)

Maneka Gandhi admitted to hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit

A Mumbai-based woman&#39;s online petition has prompted women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi to take strict measures against the&nbsp;abnormally high rate&nbsp;of C-section deliveries in India.&nbsp;

With an online petition, which highlights the commercialisation of Caesarean deliveries in India, going viral and gathering more than 1.3 lakh signatures, union minister for women and child development (WCD), Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday personally met the petition starter Subarna Ghosh to look into this matter in more detail.&nbsp;

&quot;I have taken note of this petition on Change.org started by Subarna Ghosh. It raises some serious issues about maternal health in India.The childbirth is a natural process but unfortunately, many private hospitals are doing Caesarean deliveries for the sake of money. This is a very shameful act and incorrect. I will ask the Health Ministry to urgently look into this matter and issue a directive to hospitals to mandatorily reveal the per month data of C-section surgeries of expecting mothers,&quot; Maneka Gandhi told ANI.&nbsp;

Ghosh said, &quot;I am not anti-Caesarean deliveries. Through my petition on Change.org, I wish to highlight the commercialisation of C-sec deliveries. The right of women to exercise informed consent is being overridden by this dangerous trend. I am overwhelmed to see how many people are impacted by this issue and the support I have got through this petition. Women need to be made aware of the C-section percentages of different hospitals and maternity homes so that they can choose their hospitals carefully.&quot;&nbsp;

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested that C-section rate should be between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the total deliveries in a country. However, a latest National Family Health Survey indicated that the overall C-section rate in some states in India was as high as 58 per cent (Telangana) and 34.1 per cent (Tamil Nadu).&nbsp;

Preethi Herman, head of Change.org India, said, &quot;Since August 2016, Maneka Gandhi has become a verified Decision Maker on Change.org and has been responding to various petitions through the platform. We are heartened that she is acting on the issue raised by thousands of people through Subarna&#39;s petition with the urgency it deserves.&quot;

&quot;Two hospitals Fernandez Hospital in Hyderabad and Sitaram Bhartia Hospital in Delhi, have already declared their C-section surgery percentages on their websites. They have also expressly supported my campaign and have urged the other hospitals to do the same,&quot;&nbsp;Ghosh added.

(ANI)

The online petition highlights the commercialisation of Caesarean deliveries in India and has gathered more than 1.3 lakh signatures

A Mumbai-based woman's online petition has prompted women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi to take strict measures against the abnormally high rate of C-section deliveries in India. With an online petition, which highlights the commercialisation of Caesarean deliveries in India, going viral and gathering more than 1.3 lakh signatures, union minister for women and child development (WCD), Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday personally met the petition starter Subarna Ghosh to look into this matter in more detail. "I have taken note of this petition on Change.org started by Subarna Ghosh. It raises some serious issues about maternal health in India.The childbirth is a natural process but unfortunately, many private hospitals are doing Caesarean deliveries for the sake of money. This is a very shameful act and incorrect. I will ask the Health Ministry to urgently look into this matter and issue a directive to hospitals to mandatorily reveal the per month data of C-section surgeries of expecting mothers," Maneka Gandhi told ANI. Ghosh said, "I am not anti-Caesarean deliveries. Through my petition on Change.org, I wish to highlight the commercialisation of C-sec deliveries. The right of women to exercise informed consent is being overridden by this dangerous trend. I am overwhelmed to see how many people are impacted by this issue and the support I have got through this petition. Women need to be made aware of the C-section percentages of different hospitals and maternity homes so that they can choose their hospitals carefully." The World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested that C-section rate should be between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the total deliveries in a country. However, a latest National Family Health Survey indicated that the overall C-section rate in some states in India was as high as 58 per cent (Telangana) and 34.1 per cent (Tamil Nadu). Preethi Herman, head of Change.org India, said, "Since August 2016, Maneka Gandhi has become a verified Decision Maker on Change.org and has been responding to various petitions through the platform. We are heartened that she is acting on the issue raised by thousands of people through Subarna's petition with the urgency it deserves." "Two hospitals Fernandez Hospital in Hyderabad and Sitaram Bhartia Hospital in Delhi, have already declared their C-section surgery percentages on their websites. They have also expressly supported my campaign and have urged the other hospitals to do the same," Ghosh added. (ANI)

India: Minister for women and child development promises to end commercialisation of Caesarean deliveries after petition goes viral

School children in India, who face abuse of any nature, will soon be able to drop complaints anonymously online. India&#39;s ministry of women and child development is working on an initiative called the &#39;ebox&#39;, an online complaints box where children can register complaints anonymously. 
 
India&#39;s women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi had previously deliberated on the initiative on Twitter. Recently, she told a gathering of state officials during the review of the &#39;Beti Bachao Beti Padhao&#39; scheme - a campaign initiated by the government to save and educate the girl child - that the scheme is on the anvil, and that they must personally inform the principals of schools about the project. 
 
Speaking about a previous scheme where complaint boxes were put up in schools, she said the initiative did not have the desired outcome. 
 
&quot;In many cases, the child was abused by someone who was close to him or her &ndash; father, brother, neighbour, and in some cases, the same teacher who was responsible for dealing with complaints in the box,&quot; she told the officials. 
 
Brushing off concerns that the internet may not be accessible to everyone, Gandhi said that it may not be available today, but will be available soon. 
 
In a similar project initiated by the Delhi Police last year, called Nirbheek, boxes were put up in four schools in Delhi. The complaints in the boxes led to 80 first information reports (FIR), and four convictions. In one case, the accused was the child&#39;s father, in another, it was the child&#39;s mother, in another, a cousin, and in the fourth, the tenant of the child&#39;s family. 
 
The facility, an online dropbox of sorts, will have a menu to choose from and sent across to a team in the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights&nbsp;(NCPCR) via emails, said a Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry official. Once the complaints come in, the mechanism will be similar to that of Childline. 
 
&quot;Children need to be encouraged to report abuse. Most of them suffer in silence, and are ashamed to tell anyone. In many cases, the accused is either a parent or a close relative,&quot; Gandhi told dna. 
 
In a survey of 1,25,000 children in thirteen states, carried out by the WCD ministry, it was found that over 53 per cent have undergone some form of abuse, with 20 per cent reporting severe sexual abuse. 
 
Dr John Vijaysagar of the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS) said that the initiative is a good one, but needs to be backed by mechanisms that have been deliberated upon. 
 
&quot;Most children who face abuse, humiliation, bullying and sex abuse are scared to speak. Many of them do not know who is a trustworthy adult to speak to, and almost all children are worried that they will be judged by peers or school authorities. So, discussions with stakeholders will lead to better mechanisms,&rdquo; said Dr Vijaysagar. 
 
(Amrita Madhukalya | DNA)

The initiative is called the 'ebox', an online complaints box where children can register complaints anonymously

School children in India, who face abuse of any nature, will soon be able to drop complaints anonymously online. India's ministry of women and child development is working on an initiative called the 'ebox', an online complaints box where children can register complaints anonymously. India's women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi had previously deliberated on the initiative on Twitter. Recently, she told a gathering of state officials during the review of the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme - a campaign initiated by the government to save and educate the girl child - that the scheme is on the anvil, and that they must personally inform the principals of schools about the project. Speaking about a previous scheme where complaint boxes were put up in schools, she said the initiative did not have the desired outcome. "In many cases, the child was abused by someone who was close to him or her – father, brother, neighbour, and in some cases, the same teacher who was responsible for dealing with complaints in the box," she told the officials. Brushing off concerns that the internet may not be accessible to everyone, Gandhi said that it may not be available today, but will be available soon. In a similar project initiated by the Delhi Police last year, called Nirbheek, boxes were put up in four schools in Delhi. The complaints in the boxes led to 80 first information reports (FIR), and four convictions. In one case, the accused was the child's father, in another, it was the child's mother, in another, a cousin, and in the fourth, the tenant of the child's family. The facility, an online dropbox of sorts, will have a menu to choose from and sent across to a team in the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) via emails, said a Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry official. Once the complaints come in, the mechanism will be similar to that of Childline. "Children need to be encouraged to report abuse. Most of them suffer in silence, and are ashamed to tell anyone. In many cases, the accused is either a parent or a close relative," Gandhi told dna. In a survey of 1,25,000 children in thirteen states, carried out by the WCD ministry, it was found that over 53 per cent have undergone some form of abuse, with 20 per cent reporting severe sexual abuse. Dr John Vijaysagar of the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS) said that the initiative is a good one, but needs to be backed by mechanisms that have been deliberated upon. "Most children who face abuse, humiliation, bullying and sex abuse are scared to speak. Many of them do not know who is a trustworthy adult to speak to, and almost all children are worried that they will be judged by peers or school authorities. So, discussions with stakeholders will lead to better mechanisms,” said Dr Vijaysagar. (Amrita Madhukalya | DNA)

Indian school kids facing abuse can soon register complaints online

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