Question : ABOLITION OF CHILD LABOUR

(a) whether the Government is aware that an Indian child who was projected as the Brand Ambassador of United Nations Children`s Fund (UNICEF) on child labour in India is reported to be washing utensils of others even today;

(b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) the names of the schemes being run by the Government and UNICEF to stop child labour; and

(d) the total amount spent by the Government on the said schemes during the last three years, alongwith the number of children benefited from the said schemes, State-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES)

(a) & (b): As per the information received from UNICEF, they do not have child brand Ambassador on child labour in India. However, in their media compaign against child labour in Bihar, UNICEF had used the picture of a girl child, who used to help her father in his tea-stall. On receipt of the report, State Government has taken steps for her educational rehabilitation.

(c): Government is implementing two Schemes, namely National Child Labour Projects (NCLP) and Grants-in-aid to voluntary organisations. Under the scheme of National Child Labour Projects, the children withdrawn from work are put into the special schools, where these children are provided with education, vocational training, stipend, nutrition and health checkup facilities. At present, the NCLP scheme is being implemented in 250 districts of 20 states in the country. The scheme of Grants-in-aid to voluntary agencies for the benefit of children withdrawn from work is also being implemented in the districts which are not covered by NCLP Scheme.

Apart from these two, an INDUS project which is a joint project of Government of India and US-Dept. of Labour on equal sharing basis is being implemented in 21 districts of the country.

Under the Joint Master Plan of Operations between Government of India and UNICEF, following two activities are under implementation:

1. Development of Child Labour Tracking System
2. Development of National Communication Strategy on child labour.

(d): The amount spent by the Government of India on elimination of child labour during the last three years is as follows:

Sl.No	Year	Amount (in crores)
1	2003-04	67.34
2	2004-05	93.09
3	2005-06	114.54

NAME OF STATES	Total
ANDHRA PRADESH	173297
BIHAR	13516
CHHATTISGARH	4311
JHARKAHND	10761
KARNATAKA	10467
MADHYA PRADESH	2314
MAHARASHTRA	8235
ORISSA	67194
RAJASTHAN	11371
TAMIL NADU	39523
UTTAR PRADESH	19842
WEST BENGAL	16086
PUNJAB	1368
GRAND TOTAL	378285