Over 100 rescued from child labour in Visakhapatnam

Since the formation of the district Task Force Committee on Child and Adolescent Labour, 10 operations have been conducted across the Visakhapatnam district, resulting in the rescue of approximately 170 children from child labour and the filing of 10 prosecutions.As part of rehabilitation efforts, Rs 6.5 lakh was allocated to compensate for wage differences under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, while Rs 20,000 was collected in nine cases for the child and adolescent labour rehabilitation fund.

According to M Suneetha, Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Visakhapatnam, a quarterly special drive has been scheduled from January 10 to March 31, following directives from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). To intensify child labour eradication efforts, a dedicated rescue team has been formed, comprising officials from the police, labour, revenue, education, and health departments, alongside representatives from NGOs and the district child protection unit.

These developments were discussed during the 12th district task force committee meeting on child and adolescent labour, held at the Visakhapatnam collectorate on 23 February. The meeting, chaired by Visakhapatnam collector MN Harendhira Prasad, aimed to enhance the enforcement of the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986, along with its 2016 Amendment and 2017 Rules. Key officials from various departments and task force members reviewed the outcomes of past rescue and rehabilitation efforts for children engaged in both hazardous and non-hazardous work.

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