Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Rights of Women and Children
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2000-01. The succeeding paras will deal with the Child Labour situation in the States of UP,
MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Efforts in the States of Rajasthan, UP, MP, Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar
and Jharkhand
8.34 Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, Chairperson, NHRC assisted by the Special Rapporteur reviewed
the Child Labour situation and the enforcement of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
Act, 1986 in the State of Rajasthan on 7.10.2004. The Special Rapporteur, besides monitoring
the enforcement of the Child Labour Act and the functioning of the National Child Labour
Project in the carpet belt of UP, carried out reviews of the Child Labour situation in UP, MP,
Punjab, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand. The salient points emerging from the reviews that
were undertaken are given below:
Rajasthan
8.35 A total of 3026 children were identified and withdrawn from hazardous work as a
result of the survey ordered by the Supreme Court on 10-12-1996. 2504 of them (80%)
were admitted to schools. The total number of affected families could not be furnished.
Only 223 affected families were provided employment assistance as per the directions of
the Supreme Court given in M.C. Mehta vs. State of Tamil Nadu and others (1996). 2701
notices were issued for recovery of Rs. 20,000 for each child from the offending employers.
Actual recovery has registered an increase from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 4.10 lakh during the
period under review.
8.36 A total of 9673 working children in the age group of 5-7, 8-12 and 13-16 years were
detected as a result of a survey conducted in Jaipur in September 2000 in order to launch the
ILO-IPEC Programme. All the children in 5-7 age group were enrolled in formal and nonformal
primary schools through intensive mass awareness campaign. 2000 children of 8-12 age
group were enrolled in the Transitional Education Centres (TECs). 572 children of 13-16 age
group were imparted skill training under ILO-IPEC programme.
8.37 A survey conducted in 2002 at the instance of the NHRC led to detection of 297 children
employed in hazardous occupations/processes. However, after contesting the claims of the
employers about the age of identified children, the final figure of detection came to 52. 31
notices have been issued in respect of these children for recovery @ Rs. 20,000 per child.
While it is not possible for the Commission to effectively monitor at this late stage, the followup
action in respect of detections of 1996-97 which has remained neglected, the State
Government has been informed about the Commission’s resolve to monitor such action in
respect of the results of the 2002 survey in all respects namely educational rehabilitation of
children withdrawn from hazardous work, economic rehabilitation of the affected families,
prosecution of employers and recovery of Rs. 20,000 each child from the offending employers.
National Human Rights Commission Annual Report - 2004-2005
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