A provision to punish
unscrupulous elements who cause premature development in children through the
administration of hormones has also been introduced.
Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government has taken an important
step to protect children.
NEW DELHI:
Union
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said that the cabinet has approved
amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,
further strengthening the law to safeguard minors in the country. The provision
of death penalty has also been included for those found guilty of aggravated
assault on a child.
"This is a very wholesome initiative by the Union
government. The government has brought about a far-reaching amendment in the
POCSO Act. Our aim is to prevent children from falling victim to sexual
aggression," he told reporters at a press meet today.
Mr
Prasad claimed that the architecture of POCSO has not only been strengthened
but also expanded through this move. "There are some who cause premature
development in children through the administration of hormones to enhance their
appeal in the sex trade and pornography industry. Doing this has now been made
a major offence through Section 9 of the Act," he said, adding that drugs
should not be abused to "kill the childhood of a child" for
extraneous purposes.
Mr
Prasad also listed out the ways in which the government plans to curtail access
to child pornography. "Another objective of this provision is to curb the
proliferation of child pornography. Anybody found circulating such material for
commercial or other purposes will also face stringent punishment," he
said.
The POCSO Act was enacted in 2012 to provide a robust legal
framework for the protection of children from sexual assault, harassment and
pornography while safeguarding the interests of the child at every stage of the
judicial process. However, the recent rise in child abuse cases has led to demands
that the law be made more stringent to deter offenders. Several states,
including Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have approved the death
penalty for those found guilty of raping children below 12 years of age
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