New Delhi, Mar 19 (IANS): Around 1,500 unregistered childcare institutes (CCI) are currently running across India, out of which more than 1,100 are operating in Kerala, according to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

As per NCPCR data, the total number of registered CCIs in India stands at 6,792. Currently, more than 2 lakh children (2,07,291) are living in CCIs, both registered and unregistered.

Maharashtra is the second state which has got the most number of unregistered CCIs - 110 followed by Manipur which has 13 CCIs running without registration.

The other states which have got unregistered CCIs are Delhi (6), Andhra Pradesh (3), Tamil Nadu (9), Arunachal Pradesh (3), Rajasthan (4), and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1).

Assam and Bihar have two unregistered CCIs which are under the process of registration, while 49 unregistered CCIs identified in Delhi are undergoing registration process, according to the data.

In Haryana, five unregistered CCIs are under verification, while four have been closed down.

Jharkhand has 18 unregistered CCIs which are under registration along with three in Odisha, and six in Telangana.

The NCPCR had on January issued letter to all the states for ensuring the process of registration of all CCIs and respond back to the child rights body with information on the need of care and protection which should be updated every month.

"NCPCR can collect information about the number of CCIs, registered or unregistered in states but cannot take any action. It is the states who can take action against the unregistered CCIs and we can send notice to the states," said an official.

"It is very important that the states take up immediate steps against the unregistered CCIs as the children living in those become easy prey to child trafficking," he added.

According to the Justice Juvenile Act 2015, any CCI run by the state or an NGO needs to be registered within a period of six months regardless of them receiving grants from the central or state government.

Last week, Minister of State for Women and Children's Development Virendra Kumar said in Rajya Sabha that the states and the UTs have reported that there are certain un-registered institutions hosting Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) but are not willing to register themselves under the JJ Act or having been found not fit to be a CCI.

The states and the UTs have been asked to take immediate steps for suitable rehabilitation of these children and advised to initiate steps to close down those institutions which have declined to register, he added.