Punjab To Rehabilitate Child Labour In Punjab

1959 Labour Child Rescued From Commercial Establishments This Year-Jyani

5 Dariya News

Chandigarh 13-May-2012

Punjab Government is launching new schemes to save child labourers from the hands of their employers. Giving this information Labour Minister  Surjit Kumar Jiyani said that to put an end to child labour in the state Labour Week is celebrated twice in a year. He said that 1959 child labourers were released out of which 1284 were doing dangerous jobs.The Minister said that about 1802 culprits were booked involved in child labour in the various districts. He added that as per government rule a preson booked under this act has to deposit Rs 20000 in Child labour Rehabilitation Fund per child and in addition state government also deposits Rs 5000 per child. He categorically said that state government is committed to provide job in government or semi government sector to the one person of the family of the rescued child labourer. Giving more information he added that 152 culprit employers have deposited requisite fine in the Child Labour Rehabilitation Fund whereas 895 are still to deposit this money. He told that total amount of 30.80 Lacks have been deposited for the rescued 616 child laborers. The concerned district collectors would collect the fine from remaining 895 defaulter employees in lieu of land revenue. Minster said that Punjab Government in collaboration with the Central labour and employment Ministry under National Child Labour Project Scheme with the help of NGO's is running 27, 20 and 40 special schools in three districts Julandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar respectively. He added that rescued child labourers are given admission in these schools and their primary education is completed in three years in these schools. These children are also provided vocational education here. After completing primary education these students are streamlined. He said that 7484 students have completed their primary education from these special schools and 4271 are presently studying.