Lok Sabha Question No. 3047 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-15
Subject: Rescue of Children
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Deepak Baij

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3047 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2021

## RESCUE OF CHILDREN

†3047. SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

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

- (a)whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  process  of  rescuing  children  and adolescent workers has been slow during Covid-19;
- (b)the  details  of  the  children  and  adolescent  workers  who  were rescued under Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 during the last three years State-wise; and
- (c)whether it is a fact that there is laxity in rescue of child labourers during the last one year?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): Child  Labour  is  an  outcome  of  various  socio-economic problems  such  as  poverty,  economic  backwardness,  illiteracy  etc.. The Government stands committed to eradication of child labour from the country. The Government has amended the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and enacted the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 w.e.f 01.09.2016,  which  inter-alia  provides  for  complete  prohibition  on employment  or  work  of  children  below  14  years  of  age  in  any occupation or process and also prohibits employment of adolescents (14-18 years) in hazardous occupation and processes.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme for rehabilitation of child labourers. Under the NCLP Scheme, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/ withdrawn from work and enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres, where they are provided with bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health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  Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. The details of number of children rehabilitated during 2017-18 , 2018-19 & 2019-20,  as per information available   on  PENCiL (Platform for Effective Enforcement of No Child Labour) Portal, Statewise is at Annexure.

(c): As per information available on PENCiL Portal, the number of children withdrawn/rescued from work, who have been rehabilitated  and    mainstreamed  during  the  Financial  Year  2020-21 (upto 08.03.2021) is 9670.

*                                               *****

Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question No. 3047

## for 15.03.2021 by Shri Deepak Baij regarding Rescue of Children.

Number of children who were rescued/withdrawn from work, rehabilitated and mainstreamed  under  National  Child  Labour  Project  (NCLP)  Scheme      State-wise  is  as under:

| Sl. No.   | State          | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2019-20   |
|-----------|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh | 203       | 778       | 1049      |
| 2         | Assam          | 915       | 4562      | 6175      |
| 3         | Gujarat        | 187       | 101       | 341       |
| 4         | Jharkhand      | 2014      | 1225      | 2940      |
| 5         | Karnataka      | 679       | 763       | 363       |
| 6         | Madhya Pradesh | 11400     | 4910      | 4010      |
| 7         | Maharashtra    | 5250      | 8122      | 9337      |
| 8         | Nagaland       | 197       | 111       | 24        |
| 9         | Rajasthan      | 105       | 0         | 1712      |
| 10        | Tamil Nadu     | 2855      | 2534      | 3928      |
| 11        | Telangana      | 2137      | 935       | 214       |
| 12        | West Bengal    | 17899     | 17137     | 13879     |
| 13        | Haryana        | 0         | 171       | ---       |
| 14        | Odisha         | ----      | ---       | 6         |
| 15        | Punjab         | 994       | 915       | 483       |
| 16        | Uttar Pradesh  | 0         | 8020      | 10371     |
| 17        | Uttarakhand    | ---       | --        | 62        |
| 18        | Bihar          | 2800      | 0         | ---       |
|           | Total          | 47635     | 50284     | 54894     |

*****