Question : Eradication of Child Labour

(a)the details of the laws to stop child labour in the country;
(b)whether any survey has been made by the Government to find out the number of child labourers in the country, if so, the details for 2019-20 and 2020-2021;
(c)whether the Government is aware of the increase of child labour in the Country; if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d)the steps taken/being taken to completely eradicate child labour in the Country with some action plan in coordination with States?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (c): The Government amended Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 in 2016. The amended Act is now called the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 which inter-alia provides for complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years of age in any occupation and processes and prohibition of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. The Act also provides for stricter punishment for employers for violation of the Act and has made the offence as cognizable. Further, the Act empowers the District Magistrate to implement the provisions of the Act. As such, the data pertaining to Child Labour in the country is not maintained centrally by this Ministry.
Contd..2/-
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As per “Crime in India, 2020” a publication of National Crime Records Bureau, 770 and 476 number of cases were registered during calendar year 2019 and 2020 respectively under Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, in the country. State -wise details are Annexed.
(d): The Government is pursuing multipronged strategy to eliminate child labour and has taken comprehensive measures which include legislative measures, rehabilitation strategy, providing right of free education and general socio-economic development so as to eliminate the incidence of the child labour. The details of statutory and legislative measures, rehabilitation strategy and education are as under:
(i) Government has enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force w.e.f. 1.9.2016.
(ii) Framing of Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Central Rules
(iii) Framing of model State Action Plan enumerating action points to be taken by respective State Governments and circulation of the same to all Chief Secretaries.
(iv) The Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme for rehabilitation of child labour.

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