In order to ban child labor, Indian government is going to launch a countrywide campaign next week. There will be advertisements in television channels and hoardings providing message to people that employing children under 14 is illegal. The ban, which was declared in last August, will be in vogue from October 10th. ML Dhar, spokesman, Labor Ministry, said that the idea behind this campaign was to raise awareness against child labor.
Government has also expanded the category of “Hazardous work” and the new rules devised, bar employers from employing children in works like: fire cracker production, glass production, hospital, household and so on.
At present, there are 60 million child labors in India. Activists against child labor are afraid that this new law would affect them because all these kids come from very poor families. Some families are so poor that they had no other choice but to send their kids to work to get some money to buy foods. After the ban comes into effect- what would these kids do? How they would earn their livelihood? Do government officials have any alternative plans for them?
I am against child labor and I welcome this movement by Indian government, however, the above mentioned issues are very much related with the problem and require proper solution. I hope that government would take necessary steps to solve these problems.
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