Chandigarh,11th March, 2021: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh cum Chairman, Juvenile Justice Monitoring Committee, Punjab and Haryana High Court inaugurated the first of its kind multidisciplinary center for children in conflict by setting up “Bal Kalyan Kendra – One Stop Solution Centre for Children in Conflict with Law” and “Digital Library” in the Observation cum Special Home, Sector 25, UT Chandigarh.
The Bal Kalyan Kendra and Digital Library were inaugurated in the presence of Sh. Vijay Singh, Ld District & Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, Sh. Mahavir Singh, Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh, Sh. Ashok Kr. Mann, Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh, and Ms. Navjot Kaur, PCS, Director, Department of Social Welfare – Women and Child Development.
Speaking during the inauguration Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court said that “During the inauguration of the Nyay Seva Kendra, he felt that there is a need for inter-departmental convergence to work for the rehabilitation of Children in Conflict with Law. He is pleased that a quick need assessment exercise was carried out by District Legal Services Authority and they planned the center within a short time.” He further said that is the first of its kind and only integrated center in the country that is bringing together 5 different departments to serve Children in Conflict with Law.
Another facility that was inaugurated today by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh was a “Digital Library”. During the assessment survey, the children have said that they do not have a full-time teacher and they require the necessary expertise to manage the e-learning classes of the Children.
Justice Jaswant Singh said that “Digital library is a good initiative of District Legal Services Authority in association Social Welfare Department, which can open several growth opportunities for children. I hope children make optimum use of the digital library and it enables in bringing positive and significant changes in children’s life.”
Based on the needs expressed during the rapid assessment survey, the matter had been placed before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab & Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh and he had been pleased to start a “Bal Kalyan Kendra – One Stop Solution Centre for Children in Conflict with Law” and “Digital Library” in the Observation cum Special Home, Sector 25, UT Chandigarh. The center will be run from Monday to Friday between 09.00 am and 12 noon. Further, the matter had been taken up with the Social Welfare Department and they have been grateful in providing space for the said purpose.
Services to be provided in Bal Kalyan Kendra – One-stop solution center for Children in Conflict with Law
Legal Aid Clinic:
It is submitted that Legal aid services will be provided on all 5 days of the week. The Legal aid services will include interacting with all new children to assess their need for legal aid, also to make children aware of their right to file appeals/revisions against decisions and if required then to fill out forms for legal aid.
Schedule in Bal Kalyan Kendra
| Monday
|
Legal Literacy Program run in association with District Legal Services Authority, UT Chandigarh making children aware of their legal rights |
| Tuesday | Community Linkages program to be run by District Child Protection Unit |
| Wednesday | Supplementary Education Program through Education Department |
| Thursday | Self Defense Program to be run in association with Swayam team of Chandigarh Police. |
| Friday | Vocational Counselling / Training in association with identified NGO |
Speaking at the inauguration, Sh. Vijay Singh, Ld District & Sessions Judge, Chandigarh said that “he is hopeful that this convergent interdepartmental effort would go a long way in achieving the objective of “Access to Justice” as is the motto of Legal Services Authority. This center will not only look after the needs of the children while in the Observation Home, but efforts will be made to link them to suitable rehabilitation services upon release.”
All the Departments had been requested to depute a senior staff member to attend the Bal Kalyan Kendra and assist the Children in Conflict with Law. During the inauguration all the representatives were present.
This is the first integrated center of its kind in the country that will be run in a convergent manner Chandigarh and if successful the same can be soon implemented in Punjab and Haryana and can also showcase this model at a National Level through National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi.