Delhi CM announces rehab and reform centre for juveniles in Alipur

The complex is likely to have a capacity of about 700 children, and will accommodate those awaiting hearings before the Juvenile Justice Board under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, as well as those found guilty of offences, officials said.

New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced construction of an integrated complex equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for the reform and rehabilitation of children in conflict with the law in north Delhi’s Alipur.

The integrated complex will function as a secure protection system for children, Gupta said (@BJP4Delhi)

The complex is likely to have a capacity of about 700 children, and will accommodate those awaiting hearings before the Juvenile Justice Board under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, as well as those found guilty of offences, officials said.

“The proposed complex will be developed on about eight acres, and will provide facilities such as education, sports, yoga, mental counselling, behavioural correction and skill development, enabling children to return to a normal life,” CM Gupta said.

“Children residing in the complex will be engaged in age- and need-appropriate daily routines, sports activities and creative pursuits to help build self-confidence and prepare them for the future,” she elaborated.

The decision was taken at a meeting held by the CM with members of the Juvenile Justice Committee on Wednesday. The meeting involved detailed discussions on the legal, social and humanitarian aspects concerning children, and a consensus was reached on the need to develop a comprehensive, safe and modern system in Delhi for children in conflict with the law, officials said.

CM Gupta said that a majority of the protection homes available for such children in Delhi were decades old.

The integrated complex will function as a secure protection system for children and will also serve as a guiding model for other states, she said.

“The Delhi government firmly believes that a child in conflict with the law is not a criminal, but someone deserving protection and guidance, and it is with this philosophy that the integrated complex will be developed,” Gupta said.