Lok Sabha Question No. 715 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-12
Subject: Child Artists
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Raksha Nikhil Khadse

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 715 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2022

## CHILD ARTISTS

715.  SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY: SHRIMATI RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE:
2. SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

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

- (a)the number of children under the age of 15 engaged as child artists
- in audio-visual entertainment industry across the country;
- (b)whether  any  study  has  been  conducted  by  the  Government  to ascertain the average number of working hours by such artists and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether  any  review  of  the  compliance  with  CALPRA,  1986  is undertaken by the Government and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  recent  study  on Child Artists in India by CRY according to which the child artists are working  for  more  than  10-12  hours  daily  for  six  days  in  a  week thereby violating the provisions of CALPRA;
- (e)if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reaction  of  the  Government
- thereon; and
- (f)whether the provision of 20 per cent income earned by these child artists to be directly deposited in fixed deposit in nationalized bank has also been violated and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) to (c):  The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act [CALPRA], 1986 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.

However as per section 3 (2) (b) of the CALPRA, a child can work as an artist in an audiovisual entertainment industry, including advertisement, films, television serials or any such other entertainment or sports activities except the circus, subject to such conditions  and  safety  measures as  may  be prescribed  provided  that no such work shall affect the school education of the child. Further, elaborative provisions regarding conditions of work as an artist have been  specified      in  Rule  2  (C)  of  the  Child  and  Adolescent  Labour (Prohibition  &  Regulation)  Rules,  1988.    The  Government  has  not conducted any study to ascertain the working hours of child artist. As the above provisions are enforced by the State Government,   Ministry of Labour & Employment does not maintain any data of child artist in the audio -visual entertainment industry.

- (d) to (f): There  are  many  organizations  which  work  in  the  field  of protection  of  rights  of  child  /  artist  and  CRY  is  one  of  them  that conduct studies from time to time.

The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Rules, 1988 includes following provisions:

- (i) No child shall be allowed to work for more than five hours in a day, and for not more than three hours without rest.
- (ii) At least twenty per cent, of the income earned by the child from the  production  or  event  to  be  directly  deposited  in  a  fixed deposit account in a nationalized bank in the name of the child which may be credited to the child on attaining majority.
- (iii) Any  producer  of  any  audio  -  visual  media  production  or  any commercial  event  involving  the  participation  of  child,  shall involve a child in participation only after obtaining the permission from the District Magistrate of the district where the activity  is  to  be  performed,  with  an  undertaking  indicating  the list of child participants, consent of parents or guardian, name of the individual from  the production or event who  shall be responsible for the safety and  security of child etc. This undertaking is valid for six months.

In case of any violation of these provisions, the complaint can  be  made  to  the  concerned  District  Magistrate  and  appropriate action is taken as per the provisions of the Act.

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