Now children below 14 can work, won’t be considered as child labour

In what could be a blot in India’s social progress, the government is planning an amendment in Child Labour Prohibition Act that would legally permit children below the age of 14 to work in select family enterprises if it doesn't hamper their education.

As per a news report by The Economic Times, bill will retain the proposal of a complete ban on child labour in any organisation, big or small, as proposed by the previous government. A draft provision in the Child Labour Prohibition Act says the prohibition will not apply if children are helping the family in fields, forests and home-based work after school hours or during vacations, or while attending technical institutions. The new norm will also apply to the entertainment industry and sports except the circus, a proposal by the labour ministry says.

The ET report confirms, children between 14 and 18 years will not be allowed to work in hazardous industries. According to the labour ministry official, this provision is in conformity with the ILO convention and is therefore likely to sail through even in the Rajya Sabha where the government is in minority.
This amendment, brought about by the UPA in 2012 proposed to extend the ban to all industries. It also introduced a new category of adolescents " 14 to 18 years " who were banned from hazardous industries, but allowed to work in other sectors.

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2012, introduced in the Rajya Sabha, recommended a complete ban on child labour until they finish elementary education, guaranteed under the Right to Education Act.

The labour ministry has also finalised the changes to two other archaic laws. "The effort is to push two more legislation in the current session, including the Small Factories Act and amendment to the Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provision Act," the ministry official told the financial daily.

(Image: Reuters)