BANGALORE: The State Department of Labour has undertaken a survey of children working in both hazardous and non-hazardous units across the state as per directions from the Union government. The survey, which is likely to get over before this month, will reveal the exact number of child labourers in Karnataka.Official sources, on the condition of anonymity, informed Express that the survey work was on in 17 districts under National Child Labour Project (NCLP), and in the remaining 13 districts under State Child Labour Project (SCLP). The purpose of this survey was basically to know the total number of working children and to put them into the special schools being managed by the Department of Labour. The Centre felt the need to launch the survey after many schools were closed down in some districts across the country. Interestingly, Karnataka did not have the exact number of child labourers as the figures quoted by non-government organisations were not accurate. In view of this, the head count of working children has been launched, the sources added.The Department had released `2.75 lakh to each district to facilitate the survey. Prescribed format has been given to those who are on the job since the Union Government was insistent on having the exact number of working children in each state. The survey had been launched simultaneously all over the state and a few districts have completed the survey. But it is yet to gain steam in Mysore district because of month-long preparations for the world-famous Dasara festival which concluded on Thursday. “With Dasara festival over, we are optimistic that the officials concerned will work overtime and complete the assigned job in the next 20 days. Once we get inputs from all the districts it will be carefully studied to avoid duplication of numbers, and then come with the official number”, sources noted.The deputy commissioners have been asked to help the department in collecting details of working children in their respective districts. There was no paucity of funds for the survey work as the Centre had released sufficient funds to complete this job. In Karnataka, only 49 schools, out of the total 387 schools started under National Child Labour Project were functioning, and the number is still less as far as the schools started under SCLP are concerned. This was also one of the reasons why the Union government insisted that every state should undertake the survey of working children. “The authorities are admitting only 50 students in each school in order to give each student individual attention. The department has requested all deputy commissioners to convert day schools, currently run by NCLP, into night schools as the children tend to give the slip if it was day school,” sources added.The department knew that child labour is in practice in many districts in the state. Still, no proper survey had been conducted in the past. Since the Centre had directed all states, including Karnataka, to launch the survey it would help the Department in bringing those unfortunate children to the mainstream of the society by providing them with all necessary facilities. However, child labour is very negligible in districts such as Udupi and Dakshina Kannada in the state, the sources noted.
Comments
0 comment