The centre proposes to set up a national child labour elimination authority to implement schemes to abolish child labour in hazardous industries by AD 2000. Over the next 6 years, Rs 850 crore scheme will be implemented in states of Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat where a large number of children are employed in hazardous industries.
Also, Union labour minister P A Sangma has sent missives to the central ministries concerned directing them to withdraw fiscal concessions given to industries which employ children.
The 2 measures are part of follow-up action taken on the UN convention on the right of the child (CRC) held 2 years ago to ensure basic rights of the child. India has to report back to the CRC in a couple of months. Ironically, the extensive national consultation undertaken so far to monitor the progress on the Articles of CRC on civil rights of children, family environment, basic health, child labour and child abuse have indicated that though there is no dearth of legislative and Constitutional provision to ensure child's rights, enforcement of these have been far from satisfactory.
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