The National Child Labor Policy

ncreasing attention is now being paid to strengthening the enforcement machinery related to child labor. Soon after the enactment of the comprehensive Child Labor (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986, the Government of India adopted a National Child Labor policy in 1987, in accordance with the constitutional provisions and various legislation on child labor. The idea of adopting a separate policy on child labor was not only to place the issue on the nation's agenda, but also to formulate a specific program of action to initiate the process of progressive elimination of child labor. The policy consists of three complementary measures:

• Legal action plan: This policy envisages strict enforcement of the provisions of the Child Labor (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and other child-related legislation.

• Focus on general development programs benefiting children wherever possible: The policy envisages the development of an extensive system of non-formal education for working children withdrawn from work and increasing the provision for employment and income generating schemes meant for their parents. A special cell - Child Labor Cell - was constituted to encourage voluntary organizations to take up activities like non-formal education,- vocational training, provisions of health care, nutrition and education for working children.

• Area specific projects: To focus on areas known to have high concentration of child labor and to adopt a project approach for identification, withdrawal and rehabilitation of working children.