Twelve-year-old Neha Kausar was busy making beedis two years ago, but now she has  a reason to celebrate her childhood. Freed from child labour and now studying at State Child Labour Project School in Bismillanagar, she was eager to give a group dance performance at Bal Bhavan, Cubbon Park on Tuesday.
And there is Afshan, aged 13 years, now relocated at Tippu Education Society Child Labour Project School in City. He too was working in a hotel before he was directed to formal schooling a year ago.
1,000 kids with similar stories, from different National and State Child Labour Project Schools in the City, gathered to mark the ‘World Anti-Child Labour Day,’ organised by State Labour Department, where another 1,500 kids from Government and private schools had also joined them.
Rs 90 lakh
Minister for Health and Family Welfare R Ashok who presided over, said that the State government was determined to eradicate child labour by 2012. Various measures, including setting up of 327 rehabilitative schools had been taken up, spending Rs 10 crore annually. Rs 90 lakh had been earmarked for rehabilitation of children engaged in silk industry. Protecting children’s health from occupational hazards is necessary, Mr Ashok said, while calling upon people to discourage child labour.
Master Kishan of ‘Footpath’ movie fame, as a special guest, suggested that hoteliers who hire child labour should allow kids to attend schools and do part time work after school hours. This way, children from poor families can support their living as well as study,” Kishan suggested.
Several kids freed from domestic employment were symbolically admitted to formal schooling.
A documentation on rehabilitation of kids employed in households in the City and publicity material relating to child labourers in agriculture sector were released.
Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu inaugurated the event. Labour Commissioner Manjunath, ILO Project Coordinator Sanjeev Kumar and Unicef officer Sudha Muruli attended.
Cultural performances, magic show and screening of children’s movie were part of the event. T-shirts and caps were distributed to the participant kids.