Labour Commissioner M.V. Seshagiri Babu asked officers of line departments and the NGOs working against child labour to come forward to put an end to child labour in the State.
He directed the Deputy Commissioners of Labour (DCLs) to meet Collectors and prepare a plan for holding coordination meetings with all department officers for the month-long drive against child labour, which begins from June 1.
Speaking at the State-level consultation on child labour abolition and rehabilitation, jointly organised by the Labour Deparment and NGOs, Child Rights Advocacy Foundation (CRAF) and BBA on Wednesday, Mr. Seshagiri Babu directed DCL and other stakeholders to constitute a team to take up a survey, surveillance, rescue and rehabilitation of child labour.
“The organisers should develop a software app, involve the officers of various line departments, and ensure that the rehabilitation, education, payment of compensation to the victims (who were rescued during the drive) and other issues should be monitored regularly,” Mr. Seshagiri Babu said.
No monitoring
Crime Investigation Department (CID) Superintendent of Police K.G.V. Saritha, CRAF State programme director, P. Francis Thambi, BBA State coordinators Tirupati Rao and Chandrashekar, Railway Protection Force (RPF) Assistant Security Commissioner V. Madhusudhan Rao, Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Assistant Director Sri Lakshmi and other officers explained the theme of the month-long drive.
State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) Chairman Kesali Appa Rao said there were many lapses and gaps in eradicating child labour and bringing down the dropout rate in the State.
“It is good that some NGOs and departments concerned are conducting a series of workshops, seminars, virtual meetings and consultations on child labour, minor marriages and dropouts, but the cases are not being followed up regularly,” Mr. Appa Rao said.
Hot spots
The Chairman stressed the need for taking up a comprehensive study into the circumstances leading to child labour, and the socioeconomic and health conditions of the family, admitting the child in school and bringing the child into the mainstream.
Juvenile Welfare Department Director B.D.V. Prasad Murthy said hotspots have been identified in the State where child labour is rampant, and asked the teams to focus on such areas.
CRAF State programme director P. Francis Thambi said the drive against child labour is being taken up to coincide with the International Day Against Child Labour, on June 12.
