New Delhi, Jul 22 (NIE): Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Maneka Gandhi has directed states and union territories to inspect childcare homes run by Missionaries of Charity.

She also asked the states and UTs to identify all childcare institutions that could be potentially involved in illegal adoptions, which, the ministry says, is equivalent to child trafficking.

The order comes close on the heels of the Jharkhand case, where Missionaries of Charity staffers were allegedly found to have sold babies for adoption.

The instructions were issued this week at the National Conference for representatives from WCD departments of all states and union territories. At the conference, the Minister also asked states and UTs to link all registered childcare institutions to Specialized Adoption Agencies within a month. The orders are applicable on all such institutions, whether run by the government or NGOs. “As per the JJ Act, state governments have been asked to carry out an inspection of all childcare institutions especially those run by Missionaries of Charity,” a WCD official said.