Lok Sabha Question No. 4297 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-07
Subject: Rescue of Child Labourers from NBCC Site in Delhi
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: MANSHANKAR NINAMA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4297 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.01.2019

## RESCUE OF CHILD LABOURERS FROM NBCC SITE IN DELHI

†4297. SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA:

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

- (a)whether the child labourers were rescued from the site where the work was being done by NBCC in  New Delhi recently;
- (b)if so, the details thereof and the number of child labourers rescued by the Government, during the last three years;
- (c)whether the Government has conducted any enquiry in this case against NBCC and if so, the details thereof along with the action taken against the guilty; and
- (d)whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  specific  measures  to  eradicate
- child labour in this country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c):   The Child Welfare Committee (District South) under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) conducted an inspection at the constructions premises at NBCC Construction site, East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi on the basis of some information and detained 09 persons alleged to be the child labour.

Government has launched an enquiry into the alleged employment of child labour at NBCC site in New Delhi. It was found that out of the nine children detained by the NCPCR Team, 4 children were major. It was found that all rescued children were relatives of the workers engaged at the construction site, visiting them during lunch hours.

During enquiry, the NBCC (Principal employer) and NCC (concerned contractor) informed that all the alleged child labour detained by the  quick  response  team  of  NCPCR  were  not  engaged  in  any  construction activities  or  other  work  either  by  NBCC  or  NCC.  Infact,  they  were  the children/ relatives of the contract workers who were present at that time to meet them/ to deliver lunch during lunch hours.  The place where the alleged child labour were present is generally used by the workers for lunch during the  lunch  period  and  that  area  is  accessible  to  the  family  members  of  the workers as it was not guarded by any security. In view of above, it is opined that there was no evidence of engagement of child labour.

The details of inspection carried out at Central Government establishments under the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 for the last three years is placed at Annexure-I.

(d): Elimination of child labour is an area of great concern and Government is committed to address the issue.  Government  is  following  a multi-pronged  strategy  for  elimination  of  child  labour.  It  comprises  of statutory  and  legislative  measures,  rehabilitation  and  universal  elementary education along with convergence with other schemes for socio economic development. The objective is to create an environment where families are not compelled to send their children to work.

Government  has  enacted  the  Child  Labour  (Prohibition  & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force w.e.f. 1.9.2016. The Amendment  Act  inter  alia  provides  for  complete  prohibition  of  work  or employment of children below 14 years 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  stricter punishment for employers for violation of the Act and has made the offence as cognizable.

Government is also implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme for rehabilitation of child labour. Under the Scheme children  in  the  age  group  of  9-14  years,  rescued/withdrawn  from  work  are 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.

Further  to  ensure  effective  enforcement  of  the  provisions of the Child Labour Act and smooth implementation of the NCLP Scheme a separate  online  portal  PENCIL  (Platform  for  Effective  Enforcement  for  no Child Labour) has also been developed and is in operation.

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ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4297 FOR 07.01.2019 BY SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA, HON'BLE MP REGARDING RESCUE OF CHILD LABOURERS FROM NBCC SITE IN DELHI.

Enforcement  Data in respect of the Central  Government: Data related to the Cases for which the Central Government is the appropriate government for implementation of the Act:

|   S. No. | Particulars                     |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |
|----------|---------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
|        1 | No. of Inspections Conducted    |       816 |      2265 |      3826 |
|        2 | No. of Irregularities detected  |       319 |       610 |      1966 |
|        3 | No. of Irregularities Rectified |       125 |        10 |      1194 |
|        4 | No. of Prosecutions Launched    |         0 |         0 |         0 |
|        5 | No. of Convictions              |         1 |         0 |         0 |

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