HYDERABAD: At least 12 out of every 100 children in Hyderabad are not where they should ideally be —in school--according to UNICEF India’s estimate. This number needs to become zero, stressed state home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy at a day-long workshop- Elimination of Child Labour and Effective functioning on National Child Labour Project(NCLP).
“We will ensure that this menace is eliminated 100 per cent by next year,” said the minister, encouraging various stakeholders present at the session. He also said that the state will provide all things necessary to bring back children employed as child labour into schools.
Meanwhile, the action plan for eradication of child labour in Telangana State was discussed.
While NCLP is being implemented in 10 old districts, a new plan is being designed for the newly formed districts.
“Child labour societies will be formed in new districts to ensure that NCLP is implemented effectively. Funds will be allocated once data on the status of children is received. Then, societies also will be registered. We want the process of registration to be completed by December 30 so the implementation can begin by the new year,” said Rajat Kumar, principal secretary.
These societies will be chaired by the district collector and will have project directors overseeing implementation. There will be members from other departments —education, labour, women and child welfare —and the team will be decided by the collector. He or she can also choose to include experts who have been working with children, education experts etc.