Delhi 'No Entry' Zone for child labour: Sheila Dikshit

New Delhi, June 12 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said her government will not tolerate child labour and strict measures would be initiated against those found employing child labourers in the national capital.

She was inaugurating the first Transitional Education Centre for child labour withdrawn from work, at the Prayas Children's Home in Jahangirpuri in North Delhi.

The Delhi government would simultaneously initiate steps to rehabilitate, of which education would be core aspect, such children who were compelled to work due to their economic misfortune, she said.

Ms Dikshit called upon employers, trade unionists, NGOs and other members of the civil society to come forward in the task of rehabilitation of child labourers as Delhi had a large number of children, who migrated from other parts of the country in search of work.

The Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954 prohibited the employment of children who had not completed 12 years. The Factories Act, 1948 prohibited employment of children who had not completed 14.

In pursuance of this policy, the Ministry of Labour and Employment had been implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme, which was a project based action programme.

The scheme provided for setting up of project societies at the district level under the chairpersonship of the Collector/District Magistrate for overseeing the implementation of the project in Delhi. The Labour Commissioner was the chairman of the society.

The project aimed at rehabilitation of children working in identified hazardous occupations and processes through special schools and finally mainstreaming them to the formal education system.

Each special school provided for enrollment of 50 children.

There was a provision of two educational instructors and one vocational instructor for every special school.

A stipend of Rs 100 per month would be paid to each child. The money would be credited in the savings account of the child. The accumulated amount would be paid to the child at the time of his mainstreaming.

Besides this, mid-day meal, vocational training and health check-ups were essential components of the scheme.

Ms Dikshit also released a song prepared by the ILO exhorting people to say no to employing children.

State Labour Minister Mangat Ram Singhal presided over the function.

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