'21 Indian products under America's glare for child labour'

"On December 26, the US Department of Labour has released third update to the Trafficking Victims Protection Re-authorisation Act, 2005 list wherein 21 Indian products are listed in which child or forced labour was alleged to have been used," Minister of State for Labour and Employment K Suresh said in Lok Sabha.

He said though there are no explicit trade related references in the report, the "listing of products in these report does have a negative impact on India's brand image".

Out of the 21 goods listed, 15 goods like bidi, brassware, bricks, carpets, embellished textiles, soccer balls are already covered under the Child Labour Act, 1986 under which employment of children is banned, he said in a written reply.

Suresh said his Ministry has forwarded a note on the steps taken for elimination of child labour to the Indian embassy in Washington to take up the issue with the US officials regarding the listing.