(a) the funds allocated, released and utilised by the Government to provide vocational training to rescued child labourers during the Tenth Five Year Plan, State-wise and year-wise;
(b) the funds allocated by the Government for the said purpose during the Eleventh Five Year Plan; and
(c) the number of child labourers benefited during the Tenth Plan period and thereafter till date, State-wise and year-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES)
(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 155 FOR ANSWER ON 10.03.08 REGARDING FUND FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO CHILD LABOURERS BY SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE
(a) For the rehabilitation of child labour, a Centrally Sponsored National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme is being implemented in 250 Districts of the country. Under the Scheme, children withdrawn from hazardous occupations and processes are put into Special Schools, where they are provided with accelerated bridging education, vocational training, nutrition, stipend and health care facilities etc., so as to mainstream them into the regular education system. In addition, another project, namely INDUS Child Labour Project is being implemented in collaboration with the US Department of Labour since 2004 in 21 districts of the country. This project is being implemented through ILO.
Under these Schemes, composite allocations are made to the NCLP districts for all components, including Vocational Training. The State-wise and Year-wise details of the grants released under NCLP and INDUS schemes during Tenth Five Year Plan are given in Annexure-I.
(b) Government has proposed an amount of Rs. 3,738.91 crore for the NCLP Scheme in the Eleventh Five Year Plan, which also includes budget for vocational training. In the meantime, under NCLP Scheme, funds to the tune of Rs. 138.05 crore for 2007-08 and Rs. 144.06 crore for 2008-09 have been allocated. Under the Indus Project, funds to the tune of Rs.12 crore in 2007-08 and Rs.12 crore for 2008-09 have been allocated.
(c) During the Tenth Five Year Plan 2.71 lakh child labourers were mainstreamed into the regular education system under the NCLP Scheme. Under the INDUS Project, which started only in 2004, about 18,961 child labourers have been mainstreamed to regular education upto 2006-07. The State-wise details of children mainstreamed under NCLP and INDUS Project are at Annexure-II.