Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has called the State Governments for the rehabilitation of child labourers;
(b) if so, the reaction of the State Governments in this regard;
(c) whether the Commission has started any `helpline’ across the country to enable people to file complaints regarding the harassment of children; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)
(a) to (b) As per information received from National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Chairperson, Members and Officials of NCPCR make visits to various States/UTs for discussion on issues concerning child labour from time to time and make their observations/recommendations for rehabilitation of child labourers. NCPCR has been writing to the State Governments from time to time regarding rehabilitation of Child Labour in the instances of grievances received by the Commission. The State Governments share action taken reports with the Commission in the concerned matters.
Further, Ministry of Labour and Employment has reported that the Ministry has been implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988 in the areas of high concentration of child labour. The NCLP Scheme is sanctioned in 270 districts in the country. Under this scheme, working children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/withdrawn from certain identified occupations and processes and enrolled in NCLP Special Training Centres where they are provided with bridge education, vocational training, mid day meal, stipend, health care, etc. before being mainstreamed into formal education system. Children in the age group of 5-8 years are directly linked to the formal educational system through a close coordination with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
(c) to (d) NCPCR has not started any ‘helpline’ across the country to enable people to file complaints regarding the harassment of children. However, Commission has started online complaint management system ‘Ebaalnidan’ for receiving complaints on violation of child rights.
Further Childline India Foundation (CIF) , an Mother NGO appointed by Ministry of Women & Child Development runs a toll free number CHILDLINE (1098), a 24/7 emergency phone utreach service for children in crisis which links them to emergency and long-term care and rehabilitation services. The service can be accessed by any child in crisis or an adult on their behalf. CHILDLINE also intervenes in cases of child labour.
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