Major steps to shield minors

The Telegraph (Kolkata), May 10, 2008

Cuttack, May 9: Orissa government has launched a pilot programme in Cuttack to converge services and work towards a progressive elimination of child labour.

Orissa is one of the five states where the programme is being put to test under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP).

For now, the project has been started in Cuttack and Kalahandi on a pilot basis.

The programme got underway with a workshop on “Child labour convergence model” in Cuttack — attended by labour commissioner Aswini Das.

The pilot programme envisages co-ordination of services under several schemes for poverty alleviation and income generation, education, health, welfare of women and children to create a socio-economic state in which children would rather go to school than work.

Cuttack has an estimated 14,509 children working as labourer scattered across all 14 blocks. Of the 14,509, nearly 3,500 are engaged in “hazardous” sectors, especially in beedi, matchbox and firecracker factories along with and stone quarries.

Cuttack’s collector Sujata Kartikeyan explained that the pilot programme would focus on components ranging from mobilising women against child labour and would focus on providing livelihood opportunities to families of rehabilitated children.

It is being said that the government plans to set up committees at blocks to sustain action against child labour with nodal officers in social welfare, education, health, panchayati raj and industries departments.

Under the “convergence” programme, the panchayati raj is expected to take care of parents of the child labourers under employment guarantee programmes, conceded Aditya Mohapatra, the in charge of NCLP of Cuttack.

Similarly, industries department is expected to extend necessary assistance to provide vocational training to children who are rescued.

So far, 33 special schools for minor labour schools have been set up in the district under NCLP. Education and health departments have already undertaken provision of free textbooks and health camps. Mid-day meals through the social welfare department are expected to play a key role in elimination of child labour.