Question : Child Labour

(a)whether child labour is still prevalent in the country and if so, the details thereof, along with the reasons therefor;
(b)the number of schemes being implemented under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme along with the total number of people benefited under these schemes during the last three years, State/UT-wise;
(c)the total number of child labourers rescued and rehabilitated during the said period along with the current status of schools being run for child labourers in the country, State/UT-wise; and
(d)the details of various welfare schemes being implemented for children working in unorganized sectors of the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a): Child Labour is an outcome of various socio-economic problems such as poverty, economic backwardness, illiteracy etc. As per 2011 Census, the number of main workers in the age group of 5-14 years in the country is 43.53 lakh which shows a decline from 57.79 lakh as per 2001 Census.
Contd..2/-
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(b) to (d): Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme for rehabilitation of child labour working in both organized and unorganized sectors. Under the Scheme, children in the age group of 9-14 years, rescued/withdrawn from work in any occupation or process, are enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres, where they are provided with bridge education, vocational training,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 education system through a close coordination with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
At present NCLP Scheme is sanctioned in 280 Districts of 21 States in the country. As per the information received from the District Project Societies, at present about 2850 Special Training Centres (STCs) are in operation with an enrolment of approximately 1.11 lakh children under the scheme. As per the information received from District Project Societies, the number of child labourers rescued/withdrawn from work, rehabilitated and mainstreamed under NCLP Scheme during the last three years, State-wise and year wise; are given at Annexure.

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