“The MWCD, undertook a consultative process with various Central Ministries, academia, and civil society organisations, and has drafted a comprehensive Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS). This progressive path-breaking scheme combines several vertical schemes of the central government. For the first time, child protection infrastructure is being introduced at the state and district level. This scheme will support the universal expansion of CHILDLINE 1098 to all districts of the country. It aims to concretise the state/governments responsibility of creating a child protection system in the country. It will function as a government-civil society partnership under the overarching direction of the Centre and State Governments,” states a Childline employee.

Anuradha Shastrabuddhe of Gyandevi says, “We have roped in Bal Sena, an organisation working for the welfare of children and we are taking their signature as part of the awareness campaign. The magnitude of work is much as Childline alone registers around 15,000 calls per month from in and around Pune. And we have don’t have enough cash to pay for our telephone bills, forget about welfare activities. The umbrella scheme was also expected to bring parity in terms of salary to our employees.”

Madhuri Abhayankar, director, SOFOSH, says, “we might not benefit from the proposed bill but we certainly support the cause that Childline is fighting for.”

Another employee of Childline, on condition on anonymity, says, “The amount involved is huge and in the beginning of the 11th Plan in 2007, the scheme received in-principle approval along with an allocation of Rs1,000 crore.

This also came with an assurance that more funds will be made available if the scheme was a success. However, if insiders are to be believed, the Cabinet has sent the scheme back the to Planning Commission for review.”