Awareness drives lead to rise in sponsorship requests with CWC

Ranchi: The child welfare committee (CWC) in the city has been witnessing a surge in applications for the child sponsorship scheme, reflecting a significant rise in awareness regarding children’s rights, officials said.CWC Ranchi chairperson Kunti Sahu said the committee handles around 50 to 60 cases each month, with sponsorship requests constituting nearly 85% of them. “In April and May, we received over 70 sponsorship requests,” Sahu said. “This is a good sign. It shows that citizens are aware of children’s rights and are coming forward to get support,” she added.Apart from sponsorship, a few other cases being received by CWC include missing and runaway children.Under the initiative, a monthly grant of Rs 4,000 is provided per child to guarantee uninterrupted access to education, proper nutrition and essential healthcare. The financial safety net targets children in highly vulnerable circumstances, such as those raised by single parents or those whose parents are battling chronic illness or disabled.The scheme further encompasses orphans residing with extended family members, alongside children classified as being ‘in need of care and protection’ (CNCP) under the Juvenile Justice Act, including survivors of child labour, trafficking and abuse.“We usually get cases of children that have a single parent, children whose parents are suffering from chronic illness or orphans living with extended family. We recently also received requests from two HIV-positive children,” Sahu said.Elaborating on the approval protocol, CWC member Khursheed Alam stated that every application triggers a comprehensive social investigation report to verify the facts and establish genuine financial need. “A quarterly meeting with all the stakeholders concerned is chaired by the deputy commissioner, in which all cases are presented and approval is then given,” he said.Ranchi deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri reiterated the administration’s commitment to fostering a secure and healthy environment for children. “We ensure that all children in need get adequate support so they can live a healthy and happy life,” he said.