The Ministry of Labour & Employment in its written reply to Lok Sabha on 25th July 2022, has mentioned about implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to enhance the livelihood and security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment in financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
The Government has enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which came into force w.e.f. 01.09.2016. The Act provides for complete prohibition of work or employment of children below 14 years in any occupation and process and adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years in hazardous occupations and processes.
The Act also provides for stricter punishment of employers for violation of the Act and made the offence as cognizable. Also, Mines and Collieries have been included in the Schedule – Part A, of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, wherein adolescents are prohibited to work and children are prohibited to help in mines including mica mines in all states.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, mandates the appropriate Government to provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. Under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Scheme, financial assistance is provided to the States and UTs for various activities to reduce the number of drop-outs, which include opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level, construction of school buildings and additional classrooms, setting-up/upgradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, setting up of residential schools/hostels, free uniforms, free text books, transport allowance, residential as well as non-residential trainings, seasonal hostels/residential camps etc. Also, mid-day meal is provided under Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) to students at the elementary level of education.
