NATIONAL AWARDS FOR CHILD WELFARE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

SHASTRI BHAWAN

NEW DELHI

SCHEME OF NATIONAL AWARDS FOR THE BEST WORK DONE IN A YEAR IN THE CAUSE OF CHILDREN

INTRODUCTION

Child population in India of the age group 0-14, according to the 1981 census, is 272 million. This 39.7% of the total population.

The preponderance of the child population in the country, with 37.4% of the population below the poverty line, emphasizes the need for programme of observing 1979 as the “International Year of the Child”, in our country.

The United Nations had declared 1979 as the “International Year of the Child”. The objectives of the “International Year of the Child”, as delineated in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution of 21 December 1976, were as follows:-

To provide a framework for advocacy on behalf of children and for enhancing the awareness of the special needs of children on the part of decision-makers and the public.
To promote recognition of the fact that programmes for children should be an Integral part of economic and social development plans with a view to achieving, in both the long term and the short term, sustained activities for the benefit of children at the national/international levels.

India has been one of the leading nations to espouse the cause of the children and promote the efforts of the international community that led to the declaration of 1979 as the “International Year of the Child”. The advocacy of the cause of the children and the enhanced emphasis on the programmes for the welfare of children were not confined to the year 1979 alone. Rather, the International Year of the Child was the jumping board to promote programmes of a larger dimension and create a greater awareness in the nation for the cause of children.

Voluntary efforts have a special place in the total efforts of the country to promote the well being of the children. A number of voluntary organizations are already engaged in this work. The dimension of voluntary action and its importance in the country are expected to grow with time.

As a system of state recognition of voluntary efforts for the cause of children, the Govt. of India initiated, in 1979, the scheme of State recognition of voluntary efforts in the cause of children in the country.

The scheme as revised from time to time, now envisages awards to (i) three individuals who have done the best work in the cause of children; and (ii) five institutions that have done the best work in any branch of child welfare.

SCOPE

Separate awards will be presented to individuals who have rendered the best work for the cause of children and to institutions who have rendered the best work for the cause of children in a particular year. There is no objection to an individual and the institution with whom the individual is connected receiving the award in the same year.

NATURE OF AWARDS

The Award for each individual shall consist of:-

(i) A cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/-

(ii) A citation.

The award to each institution shall consist:-

(i) A cash prize of Rs.3,00,000/-

(ii) A citation.

PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION

Initially, a Committee appointed by each State/UT will make from selection amongst individuals and institutions in a State/Union Territory. The composition of this Committee will be left to the State Government/Union Territory Administration. They may take into consideration the pattern of composition of the National Selection Committee.

The State/UT Selection Committee will make selections in accordance with the guidelines issued in this regard from time to time.

A National Committee consisting of the following persons will make final selection: -

1. Minister of State (I/C) for Women & Child Development…Chairperson

2. Secretary, D/o Women & Child Development………….. Member

3. A representative of the D/o Education…………………. Member

4. A representative of the M/o Health & Family Welfare… Member

5. A representative of the M/o Social Justice & ………… Member

Empowerment

6. President, Indian Council for Child Welfare…. Member

7. President, Indian Academy of Paediatrics…. Member

8. Joint Secretary, D/o Women & …… Member-Secretary

Child Development

Each State Govt./UT Administration will forward its recommendation to Department of Women & Child Development by 31^st July every year. Particulars of the recommended institutions should be furnished in the Performa given at Annexure ‘A’ and those of the individuals in Performa given as Annexure ‘B’. Recommendations received after 31^st July may not be considered.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION FOR INSTITUTIONS

Institutions should be those that are not entirely Government funded. They could be Govt. aided or otherwise. The institutions should have been in the field of child welfare for some years and should have, to their record, a good performance in the field. The branches of institutions working independently will also qualify for selection for the award. The selection will be made solely on the basis of quality of performance and the number of children served by the institution.

FOR INDIVIDUALS

The individuals to be selected for the award should have worked for the cause of children for some years. Paid officers of the institutions will not be eligible for selection. The sole basis of selection will be the quality of work performed by the individual for the cause of children and its significance of the cause.

DATE OF AWARDS

The awards will be announced on Universal Children’s Day – 14^th November every year and will be given away in New Delhi on a date and time convenient to the President of India.

PROCEDURE FOR MAKING THE AWARDS

The selected individuals and representatives of the Institutions on behalf of the institutions selected for the awards may receive the awards personally. They will be paid travelling and daily allowances/actual expenditure incurred, by the Ministry of Women & Child Development.

ANNEXURE – A

PARTICULARS OF THE INSTITUTION FOR THE NATIONAL AWARD FOR CHILD WELFARE

1 Year

2 (i) Name

(ii) Postal address

(iii) Telegraphic address

(iv) Telephone

(v) Name of contact person with designation

3. Year of establishment

4. Field & nature of work undertaken by the Institution

Details of work done by the Institution including places

served by the Institution.

5. Qualitative assessment of the work of the institution

          Whether the institution is in receipt of grant-in-aid from
          the State or the Central Govt. and, if so, details thereof
          (for the last three years).

Whether the institution was visited in the past by the

officers of the Central or State Govt. or by others and is

so, the comments of the visiting officers.

6. Latest inspection report by an officer of the State

7. Remarks in detail.

NOTE:Memorandum/Articles of Association, annual reports for the last two years and like documents may be sent.

ANNEXURE - B

PARTICULARS OF INDIVIDUALS FOR NATIONAL AWARDS FOR CHILD WELFARE

2 attested passport size

photograph

1. Name & address (with telephone number)

2. Date of birth

3. Place of birth

4. Sponsored by

5. Institution with which the individual is
connected & the nature of connection.

6. Field of activities

7.       Details of performance of the individual
          including the location & field of performance
          & the number of children.

8. How is the performance of the individual adjudged
as outstanding.

9. Funding pattern of the Institution through which
individual has worked:

      (i) Central Govt.
     (ii)   State Govt.
    (iii)    From other sources

10. Funds raised by the individual from community

11. Report of the State Govt. Officer regarding
work of individual

12. Remarks including a brief life-sketch of the candidate.