Lok Sabha Question No. 1145 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-26
Subject: Curbing the Child Labour
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Shrirang Appa Barne, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Subrata Pathak, Ravindra Kushawaha, Sudheer Gupta, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Prataprao  Jadhav, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Manoj Kumar Tiwari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1145

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2021

## CURBING THE CHILD LABOUR

## 1145. SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI RAVI KISHAN:

SHRI SUBRAT PATHAK:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

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

- (a)whether the Ministry has observed Labour Day recently and if so, the initiatives undertaken by the Government to make the event successful;
- (b)the  details  of  the  schemes  implemented  for  labourers  in  the  country
- along with the achievements thereto;
- (c)whether the New initiatives undertaken by the Government for curbing the  Child  labour  in  the  country;  if  so,  the  details  of  the  comparative
- data during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d)the  time  by  which  child  labour  is  likely  to  be  eliminated  completely;
- and
- (e)the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent discrimination against the women labour in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a): Due  to  outbreak  of  COVID-19  pandemic  and  subsequent lockdown,  observation  of  Labour  Day  could  not  be  organized  in  the Ministry of Labour & Employment  this year.

(b): The Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  is  implementing  the Employees  Provident  Funds  Scheme,  1952  and  the  Employees'  Pension Scheme, 1995, the Employees Deposit Link Insurance Scheme, 1976 and Employees State Insurance Scheme for social security of the employees of organized sector.

Besides, the Government is also implementing several schemes for the welfare of the workers of unorganized sector. Some of the major schemes are: Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan - Dhan Yojana, implemented  by  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment,    Pradhan  Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, implemented  by  Ministry  of  Finance,  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Deen Dayal Upadhyay -Gramin Kaushalya Yojana,  Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojan - Gramin and National Social Assistance Programme, implemented by Ministry of Rural Development,  Ayushman  Bharat  -  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana, implemented  by    Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare,  Deendayal Antyodaya  Yojana  National  Urban  Livelihoods  Mission,  implemented  by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

(c) & (d): As per 2011 Census, the number of main workers in the age group of 5-14 years in the country is 43.53 lakh which shows a decline from 57.79 lakh as per 2001 Census.

The  Government  has  amended  the  Child  Labour  (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 in 2016. This amended Act is now called the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.  The Amended  Act,  inter-alia,  provides  for  complete  prohibition  of  work  or employment  of  children  below  14  years  of  age  in  any  occupation  and processes  and  prohibition  of  adolescents  in  the  age  group  of  14  to  18

years in hazardous occupations and processes.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is also implementing the  National  Child  Labour  Project  (NCLP)  Scheme  with  the  objective  of children rescued/withdrawn  from  work,  rehabilitated  and  mainstreamed  under NCLP  Scheme  during  2018-19,  2019-20,  2020-21  is  50284,  54894  and 58289 respectively.  During the  current  year  2021-22  (up  to  30.06.2021), rehabilitation of child labourers. The number of 12889 children have been mainstreamed under NCLP Scheme.

- (e): The  Equal  Remuneration  Act,  1976  provides  for  payment  of equal remuneration to men and women workers for same work or work of similar nature without any discrimination and also prevent discrimination against women while making recruitment for the same work or work of similar nature, or in any condition of service subsequent to recruitment such as promotions, training or transfer.

The Government has also taken several initiatives to provide congenial environment to women at work place. These include:

- i) Enhancement  of  paid  maternity  leave  from  12  weeks  to  26 weeks
2. ii) Provision  for  mandatory  crèche  facility  in  the  establishment having 50 or more employees
3. iii) Permitting  women  worker  in  the    night  shifts  with  adequate safety measurers
4. iv) Allowed  women  worker  in  the  aboveground  mines  including opencast  workings  between  7  pm  and  6  am  and  in  the belowground  working  between  6  am  and  7  pm  in  technical, supervisory and managerial work where continuous presence may not be required.

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