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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3279
TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2026
CENTRAL ADOPTION RESOURCE AUTHORITY
3279. SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:
SHRI P C MOHAN:
SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:
SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:
SHRI MANISH JAISWAL:
SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:
SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:
DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:
SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:
DR. HEMANG JOSHI:
SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:
SHRI NALIN SOREN:
Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any new initiative through the Central Adoption
Resource Authority (CARA) to make the adoption process, more transparent, simplified
and timebound in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of children adopted through CARA in the country during the last two years,
along with the average waiting period for adoption, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra;
(d) whether the Government proposes to increase the number of Specialised Adoption
Agencies (SAAs)/strengthen the necessary facilities for the rehabilitation of abandoned
and orphaned children in the country, if so, the details thereof along with the estimated
timeline in this regard State/UT-wise and constituency-wise;
(e) the details of the measures taken to reduce the average time taken for completion of
adoption process; and
(f) the details of the steps proposed to expand awareness and outreach services in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (f):. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal Ministry for the
administration of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015),
the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016 and the Adoption
Regulations, 2022 for adoption through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
Under the JJ Act 2015, the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) have been empowered to takedecisions with regard to the children in need of care and protection including orphaned,
abandoned and surrendered.
The District Magistrate has been empowered to issue Adoption Orders as per Section 58(3)
and Section 61 of the JJ Act, 2015 read with Regulation 36 of Adoption Regulations, 2022.
As per Schedule XIV of the Adoption Regulations 2022, timelines have been defined for each
stakeholder.
The waiting period of the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) depends on the availability of
children who are declared legally free for adoption by CWC. It also depends on the choice of
the PAPs to adopt from the age group preferred.
In order to reduce delays and to maintain transparency, CARA has digitized end-to-end
process through the digital platform of Adoption Module under Mission Vatsalya portal and
regular monitoring and follow-ups is done with the State Governments and UT
Administrations including all stakeholders to expedite the process, as per the Schedule XIV
of the Adoption Regulation, 2022 which has stipulated timeline for authorities and agencies
working in adoption.
The Ministry is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely ‘Mission Vatsalya’ in
all States and Union Territories on predefined cost sharing basis between the Central and the
State Governments to deliver various services for children in difficult circumstances including
orphan children. The scheme provides institutional care and non-institutional care. Child Care
Institutions (CCIs) established under the Mission Vatsalya scheme provide, inter-alia, age-
appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc.
The Scheme also supports the Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs) registered under the
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act,2015, where adoptable children of
below six years of age are provided residential care.
States and UTs have been advised to establish at least one Specialised Adoption Agency
(SAA) in each district in accordance with Sections 65 and 66 of the JJ Act, 2015, read with
Adoption Regulations, 2022 (Regulations 3 & 5). 795 SAAs have been approved under
Mission Vatsalya Scheme for all State Governments and Union Territory Administrations as
on 29.07.2026. All SAAs are mandatorily onboarded onto the integrated CARINGS-Mission
Vatsalya system, enabling end-to-end digital processing of adoption cases including referral,
matching, and documentation. Compliance is monitored through real-time dashboards at
Central and State levels, and through periodic review meetings.
The nationwide Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities as well as
localized outreach programmes to promote adoption and foster care are conducted under
Mission Vatsalya. CARA also undertakes awareness and outreach activities across the
country to create awareness and promote legal adoption including workshops, seminars and
orientation sessions for stakeholders. Awareness regarding legal adoption procedures and the
importance of child adoption through print, electronic and social media platforms, etc is also
undertaken regularly by CARA.
States and UTs Administration wise detail of children adopted through CARA in the country
during the last two years including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra
is at Annexure.ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTs (a) to (f) OF THE LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUSTION NO. 3279 FOR ANSWER ON 07.08.2026 BY SHRI P P
CHAUDHARY, SHRI P C MOHAN, SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG, SHRI VIJAY KUMAR
DUBEY, SHRI MANISH JAISWAL, SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY, SHRI
ANURAG SINGH THAKUR, DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA, SMT. ANITA
NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN, DR. HEMANG JOSHI, SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI
AND SHRI NALIN SOREN REGARDING CENTRAL ADOPTION RESOURCE
AUTHORITY
STATES AND UTS ADMINISTRATION WISE DETAIL OF CHILDREN ADOPTED
THROUGH CARA IN THE COUNTRY DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS INCLUDING
RAJASTHAN, MADHYA PRADESH, KARNATAKA AND MAHARASHTRA.
S. No. State Adoption Data
2024-25 2025-26
1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 16 11
2 Andhra Pradesh 109 140
3 Arunachal Pradesh 6 5
4 Assam 153 186
5 Bihar 155 125
6 Chandigarh 15 18
7 Chhattisgarh 120 114
8 Delhi 110 109
9 Goa 26 25
10 Gujarat 156 547
11 Haryana 91 68
12 Himachal Pradesh 8 14
13 Jammu and Kashmir 39 42
14 Jharkhand 71 60
15 Karnataka 306 377
16 Kerala 176 170
17 Ladakh 0 0
18 Lakshadweep 0 019 Madhya Pradesh 133 221
20 Maharashtra 849 792
21 Manipur 8 4
22 Meghalaya 16 13
23 Mizoram 47 78
24 Nagaland 12 13
25 Odisha 287 308
26 Puducherry 17 15
27 Punjab 109 49
28 Rajasthan 160 172
29 Sikkim 26 28
30 Tamil Nadu 465 501
31 Telangana 267 307
32 Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu 7 5
33 Tripura 3 7
34 Uttar Pradesh 205 231
35 Uttarakhand 19 30
36 West Bengal 328 237
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