Lok Sabha Question No. 1225 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-10
Subject: Eradication of Child Labour
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: P.R. Natarajan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1225 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2020

ERADICATION OF CHILD LABOUR

1225. SHRI NATARAJAN P.R.:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)the details of effective measures taken by the Central Government to eradicate child labour from the country, so far;
- (b)the details of number of child labourers identified and released as on date;
- (c)the details of nature of rehabilitation to those child labourers during each year of the past five years including the current year;
- (d)the action taken/being taken for 'no child labour' in the country; and
- (e)the budget provision made/to be made to eradicate child labour in the  country  and  the  implementation  of  Social  Security  Fund  as recommended  by  the  National  Security  Board  for  unorganized sector workers in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) to (d): The  Government  of  India  is  committed  for  eradication  of child labour from the country.

The Government has amended the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force with effect from 1.9.2016. The Amendment Act, inter-alia, provides for complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years of age in any occupation and process and prohibition of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. The Amendment Act also provides for stricter  punishment  for  employers for violation of the Act and has made the offence as cognizable.

After strengthening the legislative framework through amendment in Child Labour Act, the Government has also framed the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2017 which, inter-alia, specifies the duties and responsibilities of State Governments and District Authorities to ensure effective enforcement of  the  provisions  of  the  Act.  The  Government  has  also  devised  a Standard  Operating  Procedure  as  a  ready  reckoner  for  trainers, practitioners and enforcing and monitoring agencies.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is also implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988 for rehabilitation of child labourers. Under the NCLP, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/withdrawn from work and enrolled  in  the  NCLP  Special  Training  Centres,  where  they  are provided  with  bridge  education,  vocational  training,  mid-day  meal, stipend,  health  care,  etc.  before  being  mainstreamed  into  formal education  system.    The  children  in  the  age  group  of  5-8  years  are directly  linked  to  the  formal  education  system  through  a  close coordination with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

The  Scheme is regularly monitored and evaluated  by the Chairman,    Project  Director  of  the  Society,    District  Nodal  Officer, Labour Commissioner and Ministry of Labour and Employment.

To ensure the effective enforcement of the provisions of the Child  Labour  Act  and  smooth  implementation  of  NCLP  Scheme,  a Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) is developed in order to make the NCLP successful through better monitoring and implementation.  The Government(s), dedicated online portal named PENCIL (Platform for Portal connects Central Government to State District(s), all Project Societies and the general public.

As  per  the  information  received  from  the  States/UTs,  the total  number of children rescued from child labour, rehabilitated and mainstreamed to formal education system, during the last five years is given below:

| Year    |                      |   No. of children |
|---------|----------------------|-------------------|
| 2015-16 |                      |             59076 |
| 2016-17 |                      |             30979 |
| 2017-18 |                      |             45344 |
| 2018-19 |                      |             50284 |
| 2019-20 | (till December,2020) |             40050 |

(e): During  the  current  year  (2019-20),  budgetary  provision (Revised Estimate) of Rs. 78.00 crore   has been made for  the Central Sector    Scheme  -  National    Child  Labour  Project,  which  aims  at rehabilitation of children rescued/withdrawn from work.

Social  Security  Fund  (SSF)  is  being  maintained  with  Life Insurance Corporation of India  and meant for providing   only share of Central  Government's    contribution  in  respect  of  converged  Pradhan Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY)  and  Pradhan  Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) schemes.

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