DK child protection officer Rashmi Ashok Nekraje said that the National Adoption Awareness Month is being observed from Nov 1 to 30, at an interaction with journalists in Mangaluru on Thursday
The scheme gives Rs 4,000 per month to vulnerable children so they can grow up safely with their biological or extended families instead of being sent to orphanages or institutional care. She said the Prayojakathva Yojana had around 1,035 beneficiaries last year and 176 in 2024. Vatsalyadhama has facilitated the adoption of 192 children since 2010, including 187 domestic and five inter-country adoptions. The adoption agency at Bondel, which began functioning in 2024, has facilitated the adoption of 11 children so far, all within the country.
Rashmi also briefed about other initiatives including Poshakathva Yojane where foster care scheme is given to children who are not adopted, with 15 children enrolled from the district, in the PM CARES for Children Scheme and CM Cares around 11 children are enrolled which supports children who lost both parents, a surviving parent, or legal/adoptive parents due to the Covid-19 pandemic; Visesha Palana Yojane provides monthly financial assistance for children infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS, and the district currently has 336 beneficiaries under this programme. The district’s target has been lower this year, although it has continued to record the highest enrollment in the state for three consecutive years. Dakshina Kannada has two adoption institutions, the govt Specialised Adoption Agency at Bondel and Vatsalyadhama adoption centre at Nelikatte, Puttur. Of the latter, one child was adopted by a family in Spain, two in Italy, one in the United States and one in Canada. Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
Responding to alleged complaints about police personnel not following prescribed procedures, she said, “If such complaints come to light, we report them to the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and resolve the issues.”