Child Labor Figures According to a 1981 report, there were 24, 00,000 child laborers in India and this number increased to 3 crores and five lakhs in 1991. According to the Labor Department of India this figure increased to four crores 96 lakh in 2001. But according to the Human Rights Commission there are more than 7 crore child labors in India. According to the non-government sources the number of child laborers in India is more than 10 crores. At present the number of child labors in India is more than 12 crores. Some reports say that there are more than 20 million child laborers in India while others say that the number is more than 50 million. Various reports tell different figures but it is very clear that the problem of child labor in India one of its biggest problems. These figures indicate that almost all the items that are produced in out country pass through the hands of child labors in various ways. 61 per cent child labor of the world is found in the Asian countries. In India most of the child labors is found in Andhra Pradesh. In India Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh etc are the production factories of child labor. In all these states the situation of the child labor is very pathetic.
International Efforts UNO had held a convention related to the rights of children in 1992 in which its organization, that deals in child related matters, United Nations Children Convention, had laid downs comprehensive guidelines related to the rights of the children. According to these guidelines children have the rights to live, security, progress, health and to get the education. For the protection of these rights, UNO had, at the international level, initiated various child labor stoppage programs with the help of governments of some nations so the right to education for the children of age group of 6-14 will be turned into reality. But these programs met with one of their biggest setbacks when International Labor Organization released its report regarding the child labor of the world. Everyone was stunned when it said that there are more than 25 crore child laborers in whole of the world. Out of which almost 13 lack children are working in most dangerous places like the coal and metal mines. Many children have lost their childhood in the mines while breaking stones or rocks. Many children have failed to get even the primary education because they have to bear the burden of their elders. There are millions of children who work near those places where temperature usually remains near about 1700 centigrade. A small error can turn into a big disaster for them.
Child Labor in Punjab Punjab is considered to be one of the most prosperous states of India but according to a 2001 report of Central Board on Labor there are more than 17 lakh child laborers in the state. The state education department is trying to make the arrangements for the basic education of these laborers but one thing has become clear that after 61 years of independence the scar of child labor has not been wiped out. By studying these figures it has become clear that most of the child labor has been found in India and at the same time India has made most of the laws to stop the child labor as compared to other world countries. India’s first child labor law was made in 1933 when it was under the British rule. According to this rule no parent or guardian could force the children to do labor for others. It was called Child Placing Labor Act. But children of the migratory laborers work merely for 100 rupees per month in Punjab households, Dhabas etc.
Anti Child Labor Laws After independence Indian government has made various laws to address the problem of child labor. In 1948 factory labor law was introduced. After it many other laws were made. They are, Plantation Labor Act-1952, Mines Act-1952, Merchant Shipping Act-1958, Apprentices Act-1967, Motor Transport Worker Act-1961, The W B Shops and Establishment Act-1963 and the Bidi and Cigar Workers Act-1966. But all these acts and laws have failed to give a new life to the child laborers. For the stoppage of the child labor, many punishments have been describes very comprehensively but the problem of Child labor has been increasing at very high speed. Ever increasing number of child laborers forced the Indian government to introduced bandhua Mazdoor(forced labor) Roko Act-1976. This act was made to put an end to the practice of forced labor. Provisions have been made in this act against those parents who send or sell their children to do labor someone else. Some times children are forced to work for others to pay off the debts their parents had taken years ago. After it, government had made Bal Mazdoori Roko (Stop Child labor) Act that put an end for using of child labor in various 25 dangerous industrial works.
Indian Efforts Despite of government’s various anti child labor acts and child welfare schemes no positive results have surfaced and because of it the world community has lost its interest on the issue of child labor. In March 1995 India had submitted a 62 page report to a UNO meeting and had promised that it will put an end to the problem of child labor within the time of six years means by the year of 2000. For it, 850 crores were arranged, and was decided to make a National Bal Mazdoor Roko Authority. Felling unsatisfied because of some state governments’ lack luster performance the Honorable Supreme Court of India gave a historic judgment to stop the child labor forcibly. This judgment was seen as a sign of hope for the child labor but it too failed like the other labor laws.
Solution From these facts we can imagine that how the problem of child labor is grim in India? Various labor laws have been made to address this problem but they have proved out be futile like the paper elephant. From it we can say that the reason behind the failures of these laws is the lack of interest and honesty for the implementation of these laws. It also indicates that these laws have been made by the some people while sitting in the air-conditioned rooms while the actual problems it lying at the lowest level of the society. Different kinds of circumstances are the reasons behind the child labor. To understand those circumstances the babudom should go to the lowest level of the India society. Only united efforts can solve this problem. Police, labor and education departments should take steps while helping each others so that the arrangements can be made for the education of such king of children. The number of the EGS schools should be increased that are working in the remote areas. In reality the reasons behind the origin of child labor are not the lack of laws. The real reason behind it is the poverty. The government should take steps to solve the problem of poverty and only then the problem of child labor can be solved.
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June 12th, 2009 
Aman 
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