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India plans law to ban employment of children

India's Labour Minister Satyanarayan Jatiya today said the government is planning to enact a new legislation to ban employment of children below age of 14 years in, both, hazardous and non-hazardous professions.

He told the Editors' Conference on Social Sector Issues here that this would be a step forward to eliminate child labour.

Replying to a question, the minister said that the proposed legislation would also be in conformity with the International Labour Organisation, or ILO, Convention No 138.

The minister said the government has already increased the number of hazardous occupations from 25 to 64 and nine more occupations would soon be added to the list.

The proposed legislation would also cover the domestic labour, he added.

The minister said the practice of contract labour has assumed a serious proportion. In some jobs, it has become unavoidable, he said.

Jatiya said the ongoing economic reforms have changed the employment scenario in the country. There is an increased competition in the market and better job opportunities for the highly skilled people, he said.

He said the second National Labour Commission will have to work with a sense of urgency and make recommendations for adequate response in terms of methods, thinking and conditions of work of 30 million workers in the organised sector.

He said the government was equally committed to the welfare of 320 million workers in the unorganised sector. The second Labour Commission will also take care of their problems, he said.

UNI

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