UP govt targets eradication of child labour from state by 2027

Lucknow, May 27 (PTI) In a bid to build a safe and prosperous future for children, the Yogi Adityanath-led government has set a target to eliminate child labour from Uttar Pradesh by 2027, an official statement said on Tuesday.
     To achieve this, the state government has initiated coordination between key departments like Education, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj, Home, Health, Social Welfare, Rural Development, Urban Development, and Vocational Education, all under the leadership of the Labour Department.
     One of the major hurdles in eradicating child labour has been the lack of reliable data, as comprehensive statistics have not been updated since the 2011 census.
     To address this, the Panchayati Raj Department has been tasked with collecting data on children involved in labourers in every village.
     This data will be shared with the Labour and Education departments, facilitating the implementation of targeted child labour elimination programmes.
     Additionally, district-level task forces will be established across all districts to expedite data collection with the help of local panchayats.
     Furthermore, in partnership with UNICEF, the government will compile a booklet detailing the schemes of various departments that benefit child labourers and their families, it said.
     This initiative will ensure that government assistance reaches every child and their family in need, supporting the broader goal of eliminating child labour in the state.
     Another significant challenge in eradicating child labour is the retention of children who despite being enrolled in schools, are irregular in attendance and are at risk of falling into the category of potential child labourers.
     To address this, the Women Welfare Department's Bal Seva Yojana, and Child Helpline are actively providing education and rehabilitation opportunities for these children, it said.
     In addition, the government is considering the re-implementation of the 'Naya Savera' scheme after a qualitative evaluation, with the aim of providing better opportunities to child labourers.
     To raise public awareness, a large-scale programme will be organised in Lucknow on June 12, World Day Against Child Labour, which will involve the cooperation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), employers, and labour organisations.
     The UP government is also running Atal Residential Schools for children of workers in all divisions of the state, and CM Adityanath is also focused on connecting rural children and child labourers to quality education through composite schools, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)