Indo - US Child Labour Project (INDUS)

INDO – US DOL (INDUS PROJECT):

            The Ministry of Labour, Government of India and US, Deptt. of Labour have developed a project under ILO-IPEC for Prevention & Elimination of Child Labour in identified Hazardous Sectors. This project has been being developed as a follow-up of the Joint Statement on “Enhanced Indo-US Cooperation on Eliminating Child Labour” signed between the Ministry of Labour and the US Department of Labour in August, 2000 whereby each reiterated their respective nation’s commitment to the Prohibition and Elimination of the Worst Forms of child labour as a matter of urgency and agreed that each would support and facilitate the development of comprehensive projects in identified sectors

                      The Indus Project is jointly funded by the Ministry of Labour, Government of India and the Department of Labour, United States of America (USDOL)   and is implemented in ten hazardous sectors in 21 districts across five states namely, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.  An estimated 80,000 children will be withdrawn and rehabilitated in this project. 

Support activities will also be directed to 10,000 families of former child workers. 

       The major components of the project would include:

•  Identifying children working in hazardous occupations by means of a detailed survey.

• Withdrawing children in the age group 8-14 from hazardous occupations and providing them meaningful transitional education.

• Making provision for systematic Vocational education/training of adolescents.

• Providing viable income generating alternatives for families of children withdrawn from work.

• Strengthening public education of child workers (to be implemented through the Department of Education, MHRD)

• Monitoring/Tracking.

• Social mobilization.

• Capacity building of National/ State and Local Institutions

• Raising interest towards Action against Hazardous Child Labour in other States.

LIST OF DISTRICTS COVERED UNDER INDUS PROJECT(21)

1. MADHYA PRADESH (5):-  Damoh, Sagar, Jabalpur, Satna and Katni
2. MAHARASHTRA(5):- Amravati, Jalna, Aurangabad, Gondia and Mumbai Suburban
3. UTTAR PRADESH(5):- Moradabad , Allahabad, Kanpur Nagar,    Aligarh and Ferozabad
4. TAMIL NADU(5):- Kanchipuram, Thiruvannamallai, Tiruvallur, Nammakkal and Virudhunagar
5. Delhi(1) :- NCT Delhi