Question : REHABILITATION OF CHILD LABOUR

(a) whether a large number of child labourers have been freed recently from 50 factories in the country, including zari units in Delhi and also in Small Scale Industrial Units of Maharashtra;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has any plan to rehabilitate the said rescued children and also to involve certain Non-Governmental Organizations therein;

(d) if so, the details thereof alongwith the amount earmarked for the rehabilitation plan;

(e) whether any legal action has been taken against the factory owners in which these children were working;

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(g) the further steps taken by the Government to stop exploitation of children?

MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI K. CHANDRASEKHAR RAO)

(a) to (g): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 365 FOR ANSWER ON 19.12.05 REGARDING “REHABILITATION OF CHILD LABOUR” BY SHRI HEMLAL MURMU SHRI M.P. VEERENDRA KUMAR.

(a&b) Yes, Sir. In a recent raid conducted by the Government of Delhi, 265 child workers have been rescued from various embroidery units. Such raids, were conducted earlier also during this year by the Government of NCT of Delhi wherein 166 children were rescued. Conducting raids and inspections to detect cases of violation of the provisions of the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 is a regular and on-going activity of the respective State Governments. Similar, special drives were conducted this year by the State Government of Maharashtra where 938 children were rescued from Zari and other small-scale units in Mumbai.

(c&d): After the children are rescued from their place of work, steps are being taken for sending them to their native places for rehabilitation. In this connection, the matter has already been taken up with the respective State Governments to provide effective rehabilitation to these children under National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme.

(e&f) Prosecution against the erring employers in violation of the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act 1986 is being initiated by the State Government.

(g) Government is already implementing the Scheme of National Child Labour Project (NCLP) in 250 child labour endemic districts of the country for the elimination of child labour. It involves withdrawal of children from work and putting them in special schools and finally mainstreaming them into the regular education system.