Angul: Daughters are increasingly becoming the choice for childless couples than sons for adoption, a report said Thursday.
The childless couples used to adopt a son, thinking that he will be the future of a family as per the Indian tradition. However, a remarkable change in the mindset of childless couples can be witnessed as many of them prefer to adopt a daughter now.
As per a report from the district, five out of eight children adopted by childless couples were daughters.
The Adruta Sishu Gruha in Angul is the only authorised agency in the district approved by the state women and child development department.
The agency has been providing services to childless couples since October 2016. It also provides shelter to abandoned and orphan children rescued from various places in the district under the close watch of the district child protection unit.
From last year the women and child development department of the Centre had made rules for adoption stringent. A couple interested to adopt a child will have to first register themselves at the website of Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), mentioning their name, address, income, occupation and details of previous children. Their details will then be matched with children available with different agencies before arriving at a final decision.
According to reports, eight children have been adopted by childless couples from October 2016 to July 2017. All of them are within the age group of five to six months while five of them are girls. Two of the girls have been adopted in Kolkata while one each in Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu and Bangalore, the sources added.
When contacted, the district child protection officer Gourishankar Behera said the change in mindset of childless couples to adopt girls is a positive step, which will help the children’s future. PNN
