Odisha prepares an action plan to eliminate child labour

Seeking total elimination of child labour in the state, Odisha government plans to prepare a common action plan involving panchayati raj institutions and converging different departments.
This was decided at a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary G C Pati here today.
"The Chief Secretary asked the Labour department to prepare the draft for the action plan by November 7," an official said.
The issues relating to prevention of child labour, strengthening of enforcement mechanism, intensifying awareness generation, providing education and skill development training to the vulnerable as well as rescued children, rescue of the child labourers and their rehabilitation and monitoring mechanism were discussed in the meeting.

As per the existing provisions of law, child labour refers to a working child below the age of 14 who is paid for the work either in cash or kind.
The department has identified existing regulations for prohibition of child labour. The major ones include Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act -1986, Odisha Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Rules- 1994, Indian Penal Code-1860 in its sections viz; 363 A, 367, 370, 371, 374, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act-2000, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act-1976, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act-1989 and Children (Pledging of Labour) Act-1933.

Apart from these, other key legislations enlisted by the Department include Odisha Shops and Commercial Act-1956, Factories Act-1948, Plantation Labour Act-1951, Mines Act- 1952, Merchant Shipping Act-1958 and Apprentices Act-1961. All these Acts and regulations can be evoked for prohibition of child labour.

"It has been decided in the meeting that convergence of efforts among existing institutions, departments and agencies will be done through a common action plan for elimination of child labour," they said.
The Gram Panchyats, Panchayat Samities, Zilla parishads and district administration will be actively involved in the prohibition, registration and rehabilitation activities.
Gram Panchayats will be involved in identifying the vulnerable families and bringing them to the fold of income generating schemes and programmes. The sensitization programmes will be intensified at village, Panchayat and urban local body levels.