MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION
NO. 341 FOR ANSWER ON 19.12.2011 REGARDING CHILD LABOUR BY
SHRI C.M. CHANG AND SHRI P. KUMAR.
(a) & (b) As per Census 2001, there were 1.26 crore working
children in the country in the age group of 5-14. The Survey
conductd by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in
2004-05 estimated the number of working children at 90.75
lakh. As per NSSO survey 2009-10, the working children are
estimated at 49.84 lakh which shows a declining trend.
(c) & (d) Child Labour is a complex socio-economic problem,
which needs sustained efforts over a long period of time.
Considering the nature and magnitude of the problem,
Government of India is following a sequential approach
of first covering children working in hazardous occupations
/processes.Under the Child Labour Policy, Govt. of India
follows a multi-pronged approach with the following three
major elements:-
(i) legal action plan.
(ii) focus on general development programmes for the benefit of
the families of Child Labour;
iii) project-based action in areas of high concentration of
Child labour.
Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act prohibits employment
of children below the age of 14 years in 18 Occupations and 65
Processes and regulates their working conditions in those
occupations/processes where they are not prohibited from working.
(e): The Government is implementing National Child Labour Project
(NCLP) for rehabilitation of children withdrawn from work. Under
the Project, children withdrawn from work are enrolled in special
schools, where they are provided with bridge education, vocational
training, nutrition, stipend, health care, etc. before being
mainstreamed into formal education system. As per available
information, 8.52 lakh children have been mainstreamed since
inception into formal education system under NCLP Scheme and
at present 3.2 lakhs children are enrolled in NCLP schools.
Right to free and compulsory education has been declared as
a fundamental right. Under the Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education Act 2009, all children between the age
of 6-14 years are provided free and compulsory education.
It is evident from the Census and NSSO data that Government
of India schemes have been effective in reducing the number
of child labour in the country.
