The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has sought explanation from the Uttar Pradesh government for implementing the ‘Mission Vatsalya’ scheme from July 17, 2023, instead of April 1, 2022, when it was notified by the Centre.
A division bench of Justices Rajan Roy and Jaspreet Singh directed the state government to release funds under the centrally sponsored scheme to NGOs concerned from the date it was notified by the union government and not after one year when the state government issued a government order (GO) for it on July 17, 2023.
The Union Ministry of Women and Child development had launched the ‘Mission Vatsalya’ scheme on April 1, 2022.
Formerly known as ‘Child Protection Services Scheme’, it is for the welfare and rehabilitation of children in difficult circumstances.
The scheme will benefit child protection homes, both government and private.
However in Uttar Pradesh, the scheme was implemented from July 17, 2023, the date from which the state cabinet issued a government order.
The union government is contributing 60 per cent while the state’s share is 40 per cent.
TheCentre had asked all state governments to prepare financial proposals for the year 2022-23 to avail funds under the ‘Mission Vatsalya’ scheme.
Passing the order, the court directed the government to file an affidavit stating why the scheme was made applicable from July 17, 2023 and not from April 1, 2022.
The court also directed that a state government official not below the rank of Principal Secretary, Women and Child Welfare department, will file the affidavit.
The affidavit will clearly state whether the guidelines of the scheme have been incorporated by the state government completely or partially, said the court.
The court also stated that reasons in both cases must be clearly mentioned in the affidavit.
“The rationale for adoption of the scheme only in part, if it is so, shall also be given,” said the court.
The court further directed the state government to release pending funds of the NGOs concerned whose social audit was complete, including Drishti Samajik Sansthan.
The court fixed August 25 as the next date of hearing of the case.
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