Inspections to detect child labour in the State will be intensified, Minister for General Education and Labour V. Sivankutty has said.
The Minister said on Saturday that strict action would be taken if child labour was detected. Officials of the Labour department had been directed to conduct inspections as per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. If children engaged in child labour were found, they should be rehabilitated.
The directions were given in connection with World Day against Child Labour observance on Sunday.
Awareness messages against child labour were being promoted through media. As soon as an instance of child labour was detected, legal action was taken and the rehabilitation of children taken up with the support of Childline and the Women and Child Development Department.
If any instance of child labour came to notice, the Labour Department, Childline, nearby police station should be contacted or information passed on to 1098 or 0471 2783946.
Incentive
Minister for Women and Child Development Veena George said the government intended to wipe out child labour from the State. Though child labour in the State was less, children were brought from other States for work. Those providing information on child labour would be given an incentive of ₹2,500, the Minister said.
Child labour, she said, could be stopped completely only with the support of the public. The Women and Child Development Department was implementing the Sarana Balyam project in all districts to prevent child labour, child beggary, and a childhood spent on the streets. As many as 622 children had been rescued under this project, and their rehabilitation, protection, and education ensured. Parents who produce necessary records are allowed to go with their wards. In cases of suspicion, DNA tests are conducted. Children from other States are produced in front of the child welfare committees of their respective States and action taken. If children were found to be experiencing grave issues, they were given psychosocial support as part of Kaval Plus project, the Minister said.
