NE engages six lakh child labourers: NCLP

Itanagar, Mar 26 (UNI) The National Child Labour Project(NCLP) scheme has estimated as many as six lakh children, between 5 and 14 years, engaged in labour in various sectors of the North East.

The state-wise record in NE states as per the 2001 census revealed that Assam topped the list with 3,51,416 child labourers followed by Meghalaya(53,940), Nagaland(45,874), Manipur(28,836) and Tripura (21,756). The lowest number of such labour was recorded in Sikkim with 16,457 followed by Arunachal Pradesh(18,482).

According to NCLP officials, the national plan of action for elimination of child labour includes project based plans covering families of child labour in general developmental programme and strict enforcement of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which was launched in 250 districts in the country.

Considering the nature and magnitude of the problem, the Centre has launched the project as per the 2001 population census following a sequential approach of first covering children working in hazardous occupations and processes.

Under the scheme, children withdrawn from identified hazardous work were put into special schools, where they were provided with accelerated bridging education, vocational training, nutrition, stipend and health care facilities before they were brought into regular education systems, the officials added.

As per National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) data altogether 120 million Indian children between 6-14 years are unable to attend schools. There are 150 million child labourers and 2,66,847 missing children in the country with 45,000 children going missing every year, 47 per cent children are malnourished and 74 per cent children between 6 to 35 months are suffering from anemia.

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