2.1. The Government of Tamil Nadu has taken a proactive stand on eradication of Child

Labour and has initiated measures to tackle the problem of child labour in a systematic and

effective manner.

2.2. State Action Plan for Eradication of Child Labour which aims at eradicating child

labour in all employments, is being implemented. State Action Plan envisages identification /

survey, rescue, rehabilitation and mainstreaming of Child Labour. Important components of

the Action Plan include Awareness Generation, education component, enforcement of Child

Labour Laws and convergence of various welfare / anti poverty schemes.

2.3. Government accorded sanction for formation of a State Child Labour Rehabilitation

cum Welfare Society and allotted a grant of Rs.1.25 crore to the Society, at the rate of Rs.25

Lakhs per year ,for the period from 2003 to 2007 to implement the Action Plan. The State

Child Labour Rehabilitation cum Welfare Society was formed and registered under the

Societies Registration Act. This amount is utilized for awareness generation and training

Programmes. During 2007, the Government have further sanctioned Rs.50 lakhs towards

awareness and training activities regarding child labour.

2.4. Each District has drawn an Action Plan to eradicate Child Labour in their District. All

District Collectors have taken initiatives to rehabilitate the child labour.

2.5. The Government have issued orders on the criteria for declaring the district as 'Child

Labour Free District'.

2.6. District Collectors of Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Perambalur,

Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Villupuram, Madurai and Kanyakumari have submitted their

proposals to declare their districts as Child Labour Free. They were requested to

declare the districts as child labour free districts duly following the criteria.

2.7. The Government have decided to award the Best Performing Local Bodies in

eradication of child labour with a shield and a certificate and approved the criteria and

guidelines for selection of Best Performance Local Bodies in eradication of child labour.

2.8. Enforcement is one of the strategies of the Action Plan for Eradication of Child

Labour. The provisions prohibiting employment of children under the following labour

enactments are implemented in the State by the Inspectors of Labour Department and

Inspectorate of Factories.

• The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986

• The Factories Act, 1948

• The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961

• The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966

• The Tamilnadu Shops and Establishments Act, 1947

2.9. During the year 2007, 809 prosecutions were filed under the Child Labour (Prohibition

and Regulation) Act, 1986 and other allied Acts. 231 cases ended in conviction and

Rs. 1,98,95,757/- was imposed as fine.

2.10. District committees were formed in all the districts under the Chairmanship of District

Collector and time limit was framed for identifying child labour in hazardous employment and

undertake measures to relieve the children from employment and rehabilitate them. Deputy

Chief Inspector of Factories is the Member Secretary for this District Committee. In all the

districts, inspection teams have been formed for inspecting the registered and unregistered

establishments, which are hazardous in nature.

2.11. In the 'State Authority on Eradication of Child Labour' meeting held on 11.10.2006, it

was decided that Revenue Divisional Officers should be responsible for eradication of child

labour. Accordingly, RDOs are carrying out raids in all districts to identify and rehabilitate

child labour

2.12. District level Task force has since been formed. Children identified are rescued and

rehabilitated. The District level Task force replaces the existing District Level Enforcement

Committee. Two NGO representatives are included as members in the District level Task

force.

2.13. Government has issued notification on banning Employment of children in Domestic

and Hospitality Sectors with effect from 10.10.2006. An Action Plan to eradicate child labour

in Domestic and Hospitality sector has been approved.

2.14. Following are the follow up action taken after the issue of notification banning

employment of children in Domestic and Hospitality Services.

• All the District Collectors have drawn Action Plans to eradicate Child Labour in the

domestic and Hospitality sectors.

• Meetings have been conducted for all Flat owners Associations, Hotel Owners

Associations to sensitize this issue in the Districts by the District Collectors and in the

State by the Commissioner of Labour.

• Advertisement has been given through hoardings, notices, painting on electric trains,

local televisions, jingles etc.

• A State Level Stakeholders Workshop was conducted on implementing the above

Notification.

• Another meeting was conducted on 14.6.2007 at Chennai to seek the cooperation

from the Non Governmental Organizations, Employers and Corporate Sector to

eradicate the system of Child Labour.

• A meeting with the Flat owners, Hotel owners and Employers Associations was

conducted on 23.11.07 to discuss the issues in tackling the Child Labour issue in the

Domestic and Hospitality sectors and also work out strategies to address this issue.

• A separate Welfare Board for Domestic Workers has been formed for the welfare of

the Domestic Workers in the State. 25,999 Domestic Workers have been registered

and benefits to the tune of Rs 80,77,706/- has been disbursed.

• Self Certification method is adopted for Flat Owners Associations to declare that no

child is employed in their residential campus.

2.15. 12th June is being observed as “Anti Child Labour Day” every year. Government

has also issued a pledge to be taken by the Government Departments, Factories, Schools,

etc. on anti Child Labour Day.

• Brochures, Booklets Posters and stickers have been printed and published, hoardings in

buses and in public places erected for generating awareness on the issue of child labour.

• Anti Child Labour slogans were painted on 2 EMU trains starting from Chennai Central.

• Tamil version of the feature Film 'Lost Child Hood' produced by ILO was released.

• On 12th June 2007, Anti Child Labour Day was observed through out the state. An

Exhibition of the initiatives taken for eradication of Child Labour was made and there was

a cultural programme by the NCLP and Indus children of Chennai and Kancheepuram

Districts. Posters were released and mainstreamed Children who scored good marks in

the 10th and 12th Standard exams were felicitated.

• On 14th November, 2007 there was a Public wall painting by the rescued Child

Labourers on the Tamilnadu Slum Clearance Board wall on 'Child rights'.

• On 14th November, 2007 there were human chain programmes in few slums in Chennai

city which were attended by Labour Department officials, NGOs and school children.

2.16. The National Child Labour Projects are functioning in 12 Districts of Tamil Nadu.

These are at Chennai, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Trichy, Dindigul, Erode, Krishnagiri,

Salem, Theni, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Vellore. Salient features are as follows:-

• So far, 59,034 children have been mainstreamed

• Presently special school children are being mainstreamed into regular school.

• Presently, 15,043 rescued Child Labourers are studying in 429 special schools

(including split schools).

• Nutritious midday meal to children and a stipend of Rs.100/- p.m. is given to the

special school children.

• One set of Free uniform given to children by the State Government.

• Free Bus pass is given to the needy children by the State Government.

• Regular health checkups are undertaken by the Health Department.

2.17. 735 Self Help Groups among mothers of Child Labourers have been formed in all the

NCLP districts to improve the economic status of the families of child labour.

• In Dharmapuri, the mainstreamed Children from the special Schools are followed up

by the special school teachers. It is found that 83% of mainstreamed children

continue their studies. This initiative is supported by UNICEF. This programme is

extended to Krishnagiri district.

• In Krishnagiri district, UNICEF has enabled the project to form village welfare

committee to retain the mainstreamed children in formal schools and also prevent

child labour.

• The District Collector has prepared software to monitor and track all out of school

Children including Child Labour.

2.18. In pursuant to the joint agreement signed by the Government of India, Ministry of

Labour and the Department of Labour of the United States of America in August, 2004 to

eliminate child labour among the selected districts in India including 5 Districts in Tamilnadu,

the ILO has been designated as the Implementing Agency. The Indus Child Labour Project

was started in the 5 districts of Tamilnadu viz., Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Namakkal,

Tiruvannamalai and Virudhunagar. The status of the project is as follows :-

• 5633 rescued Child Labour are presently studying in 158 Transitional Education

Centres (TECs).

• 9847 Children have been mainstreamed.

• Index cards are maintained for all children. Progress cards are filed for every quarter.

• Nutritious Mid day meal,Stipend of Rs 100/- per month, one set of Free Uniforms by

State Government, Free Medical Checkup is done for all TEC children.

• Pre Vocational Training is imparted to them.

• Vocational Training is given to adolescents in the age group 14 to 17 years. Indus

Project Curriculum for the 24 trades had been developed by the Department of

Employment and training.

• Vocational training is imparted in Industrial Schools and in Industrial Training Centres

in all the 5 Districts.

• 5195 adolescents have been covered under Vocational Training Programme. They

were trained in Two wheeler mechanism, Four Wheeler mechanism. Plumbing,

House wiring, Home nursing, Catering Technology, Desk Top Publishing etc.

• 2943 have been placed in jobs

• Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Scheme is implementing component the strengthening

of Public Education for Child Labour.

• 40 Lead Schools have been selected and the Head Masters of the Lead Schools

have been trained.

• In all Districts, Activity Centres have been set up in all the Lead Schools

• Volunteers are placed in Lead Schools to conduct special classes to the weak

students. They also teach games and music to the children in the evening hours.

2.19. To enable the families of rescued child labourers, augment their income by alternative

means, 245 Self Help Groups have been formed.

2.20. State of Tamil Nadu has well established monitoring system for eradication of child

labour. They are

• State Authority on Eradication of Child Labour is chaired by Chief Secretary to

Government.

• A State Project Steering Committee to oversee INDUS Project.

• A State Monitoring Committee to oversee NCLP Project.

• The State Government has nominated Secretaries to Government as Monitoring

Officers of the Districts. Child Labour is included as one of the subjects to be

reviewed.