The age of labour

‘Should be 18 years’

Maharashtra says such a step will help reduce child exploitation

MUMBAI: Government officials and NGOs in Maharashtra want the Centre to increase the age limit for child labour to 18, up from 14 at present, which they feel will help curtail the exploitation of children in all kinds of business establishments.

This is the gist of a recent conference held to decide on norms for the Protocol on Rescued Child Labour. However, existing laws that define child labour stipulate different ages and having a uniform limit would necessitate several legal changes.

At present, the Child Labour Prohibition Act puts the age limit at 14 years while the Juvenile Justice Act says the age limit is 18 years. As per the Shops and Establishment Act, the limit is 15 years. India is a signatory to Unicef’s Child Rights’ Convention which defines a child as someone under 18.

“We NGOs have asked the Central Government to raise the bar to 18 years instead of 14. However, Bihar officials want the child limit to be lowered,” said Vikas Sawant, an activist of Mumbai-based NGO, Pratham. “As a signatory to the international child rights’ convention, we should implement this protocol at all levels,” he adds.

Most child migrants to Mumbai come from Bihar. Officials in Maharashtra say Bihar is not taking the issue of child labour seriously. “They haven’t taken the steps Maharashtra has. We have given them the details of our efforts and want them to cooperate with us, says BD Sanap, Labour Commissioner.

An estimated 2100 child labourers were rescued in Maharashtra after several raids, of which 1475 have been sent back to their homes in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

While Maharashtra officials want their Bihar counterparts to work on poverty alleviation programmes to reduce child migrants, activists say Bihar’s own rehabilitation programmes are actually far better than those of Maharashtra.

“UP and Bihar governments have begun implementing Pratham’s model for residential education while Maharashtra is yet to rehabilitate the 27 children rescued from Thane,” Sawant said.

k_neeta@dnaindia.net