With India’s population touching new heights every year, there are an unfortunate few in our country who are unable to handle the rise in cost of living and have to work beyond their normal capacity. Some even send their children to work to help ends meet.
Some children are even forced to work. As per information received from the District Project Societies set up under the National Child labor Project (NCLP) Scheme, a total number of 320488 children were rescued from all forms of child labor, and were rehabilitated and mainstreamed to formal education system during the last five years.
As per information received from the State Governments/UT Administrations, a total of 16,540 violations were detected, 9034 prosecutions were launched and 3704 convictions made in the last five years in respect of the Child & Adolescent labor (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.
For elimination of child labor, the Government has enacted the Child labor (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force with effect from 1.9.2016.
The Amendment Act inter alia provides for complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years in any occupation and process and prohibition of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. The Amendment Act also provides stricter punishment for employers for violation of the Act and has made the offence as cognizable.