25-Jul-2022: Children and Adolescents are Prohibited to Work and Help in Mines

The Government has enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force w.e.f. 01.09.2016. The Act provides for complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years in any occupation and process and adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. The Act also provides for stricter punishment of employers for violation of the Act and made the offence as cognizable. Also, Mines and Collieries have been included in the Schedule - Part A, of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, wherein adolescents are prohibited to work and children are prohibited to help in mines including mica mines in all states.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, mandates the appropriate Government to provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. Under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Scheme, financial assistance is provided to the States and UTs for various activities to reduce the number of drop-outs, which include opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level, construction of school buildings and additional classrooms, setting-up/upgradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, setting up of residential schools/hostels, free uniforms, free text books, transport allowance, residential as well as non-residential trainings, seasonal hostels/residential camps etc. Also, mid-day meal is provided under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) to students at the elementary level of education.

The Government is implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to enhance the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment in financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

10-Feb-2020: Government Committed for Eradication of Child Labour

The Government of India is committed for eradication of child labour from the country. The Government has amended the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force with effect from 1.9.2016. The Amendment Act, inter-alia, provides for complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years of age in any occupation and process and prohibition of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. The Amendment Act also provides for stricter punishment for employers for violation of the Act and has made the offence as cognizable.

After strengthening the legislative framework through amendment in Child Labour Act, the Government has also framed the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2017 which, inter-alia, specifies the duties and responsibilities of State Governments and District Authorities to ensure effective enforcement of the provisions of the Act. The Government has also devised a Standard Operating Procedure as a ready reckoner for trainers, practitioners and enforcing and monitoring agencies.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is also implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988 for rehabilitation of child labourers. Under the NCLP, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/withdrawn from work and 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.  The 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.

The Scheme is regularly monitored and evaluated  by the  Chairman,  Project Director of the Society,  District Nodal Officer,  Labour Commissioner and Ministry of Labour and Employment.

To ensure the effective enforcement of the provisions of the Child Labour Act and smooth implementation of NCLP Scheme, a dedicated online portal named PENCIL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) is developed in order to make the NCLP successful through better monitoring and implementation.  The Portal connects Central Government to State Government(s), District(s), all Project Societies and the general public.   

As per the information received from the States/UTs, the total number of children rescued from child labour, rehabilitated and mainstreamed to formal education system, during the last five years is given below:

During the current year (2019-20), budgetary provision (Revised Estimate) of Rs. 78.00 crore   has been made for  the Central  Sector  Scheme – National  Child Labour Project, which aims at rehabilitation of children rescued/withdrawn from work.

Social Security Fund (SSF) is being maintained with Life Insurance Corporation of India and meant for providing   only share of Central Government’s contribution in respect of converged Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) schemes.