India plans blanket ban on child labour

[Avnish Jolly]

India plans blanket ban on child labour
http://www.igovernment.in:81/site/india-plans-blanket-ban-child-labour?utm_source=newsletter-core&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20110819

Presently, child labour in India is banned for work involving
hazardous activities excluding agriculture
Submitted on 08/19/2011

New Delhi: The central government is contemplating a blanket ban on
child labour, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal informed
the Rajya Sabha on Friday, reports IANS.
Presently, child labour in India is banned for work involving
hazardous activities, defined as manufacturing or handling of
pesticides and insecticides, tobacco processing, warehousing, use of
machinery, cashew nut de-scaling and processing, and working as
domestic help and in restaurants, among others.
In response to a question on child labour in agriculture, Sibal said:
"There is an inter-ministerial group which is thinking to put a
blanket ban on child labour in every walk of life."
In agriculture, child labour is banned only in processes where
tractors, threshing and harvesting machines are used and for chaff
cutting.
According to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) report, 80 per
cent of the child labour in India is in agricultural sector.
The minister also said that there was a need to open more schools in
remote areas to address the need of sending these children to school.
"We are very concerned because real problem arises in rural areas...
so state governments are required to set up neighbourhood schools,"
Sibal said.
The minister said provisions for setting up schools were provided in
the Right to Education (RTE) act, but detailed work for population
mapping was needed.
"The number of children and requirement of schools will have to be
calculated," he said.
The RTE Act provides for free and compulsory education to all children
in the age group of 6-14 years.