The government has launched a web portal called ‘PENCiL’ for effective implementation of the National Child Labour Project, (NCLP).

There is a need to create a robust implementing and monitoring mechanism for both enforcement of the legislative provisions and effective implementation of various projects and programmes. In this context, it was felt that an online portal which connects central government to state government, district and to all project societies would prove useful. PENCiL is one such project. The online portal PENCiL (Platform for Effective National Child Labour) has been launched to help rehabilitate child labour.

 Important Points

  • PENCiL is an electronic platform developed by the labour ministry launched by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on September 26, 2017 at the National Conference on Child Labour. It will connect the centre to the state government, district and to all project societies and provide a mechanism for implementation
  •  PENCiL has been launched to foster the creation of an India free of child labour; it is expected to integrate implementing and monitoring mechanisms for both, enforcement of the legislative provisions and effective implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP).
  • PENCiL Portal has following five  components:
    • Child Tracking System
    • Complaint Corner
    • State Government
    • National Child Labour Project
    • Convergence

The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme

  • The National Child Labour Project Scheme (NCLPS) started in 1988 to rehabilitate child labour.
  • Under this Scheme, a survey is conducted to identify target group (child worker and adolescent working in hazardous occupations and processes in a district or a specified area).
  • The children in the age group of 9-14 years are withdrawn from work and put into NCLP Special Training Centres where they are provided bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health care and recreation etc. with the ultimate objective of preparing them to be mainstreamed into the formal system of education.
  • NCLP has been revised expanded and aligned to the new legislative provisions.
  • Adolescents are withdrawn from hazardous occupations / processes to have benefited from skills training wherever required and are linked to legally permissible occupations.
  • The legislative changes have been accompanied by creation of additional institutional mechanisms at the district, state and national level for identification and rescue, along with revamping the rehabilitation scheme and a centralized database for case to case monitoring and accountability.
  • Background
  • Children are valuable assets for any country who need to be nurtured for the better future of the country. The census 2011 showed a substantial decline in child labour as compared to the data of Census 2001, but a lot is required to be done to protect their childhood.
  • According to 2015 National Crime Records Bureau report, the number of cases filed for child trafficking was 3490, and the number of victims of the cases amounted to 3905. The total number of human trafficking cases amounted to 6877 and the victims for these cases totalled to 9127.
  • Realizing the multifaceted nature of this problem, Government has embarked on a holistic and multi-pronged approach to eliminate child labour from the country in a phased manner.
  • Government has taken several initiatives subsequent to the enactment of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 to strengthen the governance of the legislative provisions.With this amendment, employment of a child below 14 years is completely prohibited in any occupation or processes.
  • For the first time the age of the child is linked with the age of the child in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Also, for the first time the definition of adolescent has been introduced and the ambit of the Act is enhanced to include adolescent in the age group of 14-18 years.
  • The amendment prohibits the employment of adolescent in hazardous occupations and processes.
  • SOPs for enforcement of legal framework against child labour
  • Government also launched Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for enforcement of legal framework against child labour.
  • The SOPs aims at creating a ready reckoner for trainers, practitioners and monitoring agencies to ensure complete prohibition of child labour and protection of adolescents from hazardous labour ultimately leading to Child Labour Free India.
  • They will be useful to the enforcement agencies

 

Sources:

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Labour & Employment
www.pencil.gov.in
Financial express

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