Govt plans new approach to end child labour

After the amendments in Child labour Law, the Labour Ministry is focusing on complete implementation of the Law.

The ministry plans to use the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) to enforce a complete ban on child labour.

The NCLP scheme which came into operation in 1988 has been effectively used since then in rehabilitating rescued children and as well as those who were in the danger of being forced into employment. Now, the Labour Ministry finds this old scheme very useful at a time when a complete prohibition has to be operationalised.

The NCLP Scheme focuses on withdrawal of children from work and mainstream them into formal education system. Children rescued or withdrawn from work in the age group of 9-14 years are enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres.

In training centres, the children 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.