Latest news with #ChildandAdolescentLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)Act
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Sharp drop in child labour cases in Andhra Pradesh, say officials
Authorities have reported a sharp decline in child labour cases in Andhra Pradesh over the past three years, attributing the trend to sustained enforcement of rehabilitation measures and the strict implementation of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. Official data shows that 1,040 child labourers were identified in 2023 — 63 in hazardous sectors and 977 in non-hazardous establishments. The number dropped to 584 in 2024 (24 hazardous, 560 non-hazardous) and further to 291 in 2025 (15 hazardous, 276 non-hazardous). Labour Commissioner M.V. Seshagiri Babu told The Hindu that the department had filed minimum wage claims on behalf of rescued children, securing back wage disbursements of ₹17,35,060 in 2023, ₹14,80,433 in 2024, and ₹4,82,907 in 2025. All rescued children and adolescents were produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and handed over to the Women and Child Development and Education Departments, as well as their parents, with counselling for rehabilitation and enrolment in nearby schools. Enforcement in line with the Supreme Court's M.C. Mehta case guidelines also led to action against employers — 22 cases in 2023, 16 in 2024, and three in 2025. Penalties collected at ₹20,000 per case totalled ₹4.4 lakh in 2023, ₹3.2 lakh in 2024, and ₹60,000 in 2025. Officials said the funds were deposited in the District Child and Adolescent Labour Rehabilitation Fund, jointly managed by the District Collector and the Deputy Commissioner of Labour, as mandated under Section 14(B) of the Act and Rule 16(A) of the 1988 Rules. To aid anti-child labour drives, each Deputy Commissioner of Labour in the State's 26 districts was allocated ₹1 lakh to meet operational expenses. Authorities said the downward trend reflects stronger enforcement, rising public awareness, and better inter-departmental coordination, but stressed that continued vigilance is essential to eradicate the practice completely.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Time of India
Training held for women cops on child, women safety
Trichy: A one-day skill development training session was held at the Navalpattu Police Training School in Trichy on Friday to enhance the investigative skills of female police officers handling crimes against women and children. Organised for officers from the Trichy zone, covering the Trichy and Thanjavur police ranges, the training focused on legal provisions and the proactive role of law enforcement in safeguarding children's rights and ensuring justice for victims. Prabhu, a member of the District Child Welfare Committee, conducted the session, highlighting key legislations including the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, the Right to Education Act, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The training also stressed the importance of police involvement in preventing child-related crimes and creating a child-friendly society through active participation in child protection structures at village, block, district, panchayat, municipality, and ward levels, as well as gram sabha meetings.
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Labour Min calls for united effort to eradicate child labour
Bengaluru: Labour Minister Santhosh Lad has urged officials and citizens alike to commit themselves to the complete eradication of child labour across the state. He said society must not entertain expectations of labour from children whose rightful place is in schools and playgrounds. Speaking at an event organised to mark World Day Against Child Labour near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on MG Road, the minister said, 'The observance of this day should not be limited to a symbolic annual event. Every two months, Deputy Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and Chief Executive Officers of all districts must carry out awareness campaigns and enforcement drives to identify child labourers, especially in dhabas, hotels, factories, shops, and malls.' Lad underlined that children found working in such establishments must be rescued, rehabilitated, and re-integrated into the education system. 'No child should be deprived of education. This is a primary objective of the government,' he said. The minister pointed out that child and adolescent labourers are most often found in remote or informal setups like home-based industries or small workshops, where regulatory oversight is limited. These areas, he said, require targeted interventions to detect and rescue child workers. He further blamed a flawed education system for indirectly encouraging the continuation of child labour. 'Unless every citizen actively participates in this movement, the government alone cannot eliminate the scourge of child labour,' Mr. Lad said, calling for community-level vigilance and cooperation. Highlighting Karnataka's early response to the issue, he said the state had become the first in India to launch a Child Labour Eradication Action Plan back in 2001. Reiterating that employing children is a punishable offence, Lad cited the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016. Under the law, first-time offenders may face six months to two years in prison and fines ranging from Rs20,000 to Rs50,000. Repeat offences could attract up to three years' imprisonment.
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Karnataka Labour Minister Calls for United Effort to Eradicate Child Labour
Bengaluru: Karnataka Labour Minister Santhosh Lad has urged officials and citizens alike to commit themselves to the complete eradication of child labour across the state. He said society must not entertain expectations of labour from children whose rightful place is in schools and playgrounds. Speaking at an event organised to mark World Day Against Child Labour near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on MG Road, the minister said, "The observance of this day should not be limited to a symbolic annual event. Every two months, Deputy Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and Chief Executive Officers of all districts must carry out awareness campaigns and enforcement drives to identify child labourers, especially in dhabas, hotels, factories, shops, and malls." Mr. Lad underlined that children found working in such establishments must be rescued, rehabilitated, and re-integrated into the education system. 'No child should be deprived of education. This is a primary objective of the government,' he said. The minister pointed out that child and adolescent labourers are most often found in remote or informal setups like home-based industries or small workshops, where regulatory oversight is limited. These areas, he said, require targeted interventions to detect and rescue child workers. He further blamed a flawed education system for indirectly encouraging the continuation of child labour. "Unless every citizen actively participates in this movement, the government alone cannot eliminate the scourge of child labour,' Mr. Lad said, calling for community-level vigilance and cooperation. Highlighting Karnataka's early response to the issue, he said the state had become the first in India to launch a Child Labour Eradication Action Plan back in 2001. The state's multi-departmental task forces now include 11 government departments ranging from labour and education to social welfare and industry. These task forces conduct joint field visits in 22 districts to identify, rescue, and rehabilitate children. Strong Legal Provisions Against Child Labour Reiterating that employing children is a punishable offence, Lad cited the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016. Under the law, first-time offenders may face six months to two years in prison and fines ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹50,000. Repeat offences could attract up to three years' imprisonment. Parents or guardians involved in such violations are also liable for penalties. However, the minister clarified that the law's intention is not to instil fear, but to foster awareness and ensure that children receive fair opportunities for growth and education. In the past three years, the state has conducted 1,02,213 inspections, rescued 2,084 children, and filed 705 cases under child labour laws. Lad cited data from the International Labour Organisation, which estimates that over 138 million children globally are engaged in child labour, including around 33 million in India. "This is an alarming reflection of our social priorities. We cannot claim to be humane while allowing such exploitation to persist,' he said. The Minister encouraged the public to report any incidents of child labour through the 24/7 Childline helpline 1098. Over one lakh complaints have already been received via this channel, prompting necessary action from the Labour Department, he added. Film actress Aditi Prabhudeva, who also spoke at the event, urged citizens to look beyond blaming the government and instead contribute through small personal initiatives. 'Even paying a struggling student's school fees can be a step towards ending child labour,' she said. The event included an awareness rally jointly flagged off by Minister Lad and Ms. Prabhudeva. Labour Commissioner Dr H.N. Gopalakrishna administered an anti-child labour pledge.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Time of India
616 child labourers rescued in 5 years: Gujarat govt
Gandhinagar: On the eve of World Day Against Child Labour, which will be observed on Thursday, Gujarat govt said that in the past five years, 616 children engaged in child labour were rescued in the state, and fines worth Rs 72.88 lakh were imposed against those employing children for various tasks. "In Gujarat, to combat the menace of child labour, the labour commissioner's office conducted over 4,800 raids in the last five years, rescuing 616 children and collecting fines exceeding Rs 72.88 lakh from such units employing them," an official statement said. Between Jan 2020 and April 2025, 4,824 raids were conducted across the state, freeing 455 child labourers and 161 adolescent workers, totalling 616. During this period, 791 criminal cases were filed against offenders under provisions of the law and 339 FIRs were registered. Under the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act, 1986, employing children up to the age of 14 is banned for any type of work. For adolescents aged 14 to 18 years, there are provisions banning employment in hazardous occupations and employing them in non-hazardous jobs. The statement said that after amendments in 2016, the act is now known as the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. It said that Gujarat is the only state to amend provisions of the act, and violators can now face imprisonment ranging from six months to two years or fines between Rs 20,000 and Rs 1 lakh. Repeat offenders can face imprisonment of up to three years.
