Question : Revision of Hazardous Occupations

(a)the names and details of the occupations banned under the labour law with a view to prohibiting employment of child labour along with the details of various provisions for penalising the employer of
children under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986;
(b)whether the Government proposes to revise the list of hazardous occupations which currently excludes hazardous occupations like handloom, powerloom, fire cracker workshop, rag picking etc.
(c)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d)the measures being taken by the Government to ban and all such hazardous occupations including the various steps taken to ensure the complete eradication of child labour in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)
(a): Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibits the employment of children below 14 years of age in certain occupations and processes given in Annexure-I. The provisions for Penalties under the Act are at Annexure-II.
(b) & (c): The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 provides a list of occupations and processes in the Schedule, where employment of children is prohibited. The Schedule already includes the ‘Handloom and powerloom industry’, ‘Manufacture of matches, explosives and fire-works’ and ‘Rag picking’ as prohibited occupations/ processes.
Contd..2/-
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(d): Considering the nature of the problem of child labour, Government is following a multi-pronged strategy. It comprises of statutory and legislative measures, rehabilitation of children withdrawn from work through specific scheme and universal elementary education along with convergence with other schemes for socio-economic development.
A Bill to amend the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 has been introduced in Rajya Sabha in 2012. The Government has decided to move Official Amendments to the Amendment Bill. The Official Amendments along with the Amendment Bill, inter-alia, covers complete prohibition on employment of children below 14 years, linking the age of prohibition with the age under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and making the punishment for employer for contravention of the provisions of the Act more stringent.
Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme under which children rescued/ withdrawn from work in the age group of 9-14 years are enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres, where they are provided with bridge education, vocational training,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 mainstreaming 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 Abhiyaan (SSA).

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