Question : Increase in Child Labour

(a) whether the number of child labourers is increasing steadily despite laws against child labour in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the number of child labourers in the country during the last three years and the current year, plan/establishment-wise, State and year-wise;
(c) the number of child labourers rescued during the said period, State/UT-wise and action taken against the people engaged in the said practice and whether the list of hazardous Industries is proposed to be amended to restrict child labour there;
(d) whether the Government has formulated/proposes to formulate any time bound programme for the elimination of child labour in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government to resolve the said problem and towards the rehabilitation of children rescued from child labour including implementing the provision of Right to Education for them and the efforts made to improve the condition of rehabilitation centres/juvenile homes?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a) & (b): The number of working children in the age group of 5 to 14 years in the country is 43.53 lakh as per 2011 Census which shows a decline from 2001 Census. The number of working children in the age group of 5-14 years as per 2011 Census, State-wise is given at Annexure-I.
(c): Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988 for rehabilitation of rescued children. State-wise number of children rescued/withdrawn, rehabilitated and mainstreamed under National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme during last three years is given at Annexure-II.
Contd..2/-

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Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibits the employment of children below 14 years of age in 18 occupations and 65 processes and regulates the working condition of children in employment where they are not prohibited. A Bill to amend the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 has been introduced in Rajya Sabha, which inter-alia provides complete prohibition on employment of children below 14 years in all occupations and processes.
As per the information received from the States, the details of action taken against guilty under Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 during the last three years are as under:
Year Violations Prosecutions Convictions
2012 13437 5424 1416
2013 10920 4808 1243
2014 1660 1452 1097

(d) & (e): The Government has adopted multi-pronged strategy to eradicate child labour in the country. Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibits the employment of children below 14 years of age in certain occupations and processes. A Bill to amend the Act, which provides for prohibition of employment of children below 14 years in all occupations and processes and linking the age of prohibition to the age under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha. For rehabilitation of rescued children, Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988. 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 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). NCLP Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% central grant to District Project Society headed by the District Magistrate/Collector of the District for operating the Special Training Centres.
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