Revenue generated from child labour belittling: Jaya

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today vowed to make Tamil Nadu a child labour free state and termed the revenue generated from it as a "belittling" one.
Speaking on the eve of the World Day Against Child Labour, the Chief Minister also listed out several initiatives taken by her government to ensure that children were sent to school and not employed in work.
"The revenue earned through child labour is a belittling one for both the household and the nation and realising this we shall ensure that children are sent to school," she said.
In a statement, she said her government had implemented various schemes such as free education, free books and other accessories besides uniforms, bus passes and laptops, among others.

The government was also providing Rs 500 assistance monthly to former child labourers who were pursuing higher education, she said.
Jayalalithaa said that dams and reservoirs constructed on

a river flowing within the state fall under the state governments' competence and are owned and maintained by the state governments concerned.
"The overriding powers proposed to be given to the National Dam Safety Organisation to inspect dams and reservoirs in states is against the spirit of the Constitution", she said.
"The present draft bill does not specifically provide for dams and reservoirs which are owned and maintained by states, but located in another state by virtue of long standing Inter-State agreements which have been upheld through Supreme Court judgements. This is a grave omission", she said.

Tamil Nadu's Mullaiperiyar, Parambikulam, Thunakkadavu and Peruvarippallam Dams are owned and maintained by the Tamil Nadu Government by virtue of Inter-State agreements, but are located in a neighbouring state, she said.
"The present draft law, cannot and should not overturn such rights which would affect large number of farmers and households depending on the reservoirs for irrigation and drinking water supply", the Chief Minister said.