12.8 lakh children have been mainstreamed to formal education since the inception of National Child Labour Project (NCLP) scheme, said Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar. The minister was responding to a question asked in Rajya Sabha about the functioning of Kendriya Bal Shramik Vidyalayas in the country.
The minister informed the Parliament that no Kendriya Bal Shramik Vidyalayas have been opened in the country since the inception of NCLP scheme.
The NCLP scheme, which came to into force in 1988, aims to eliminate all forms of child labour through identification and preparing children withdrawn from work for main stream education along with vocational training.
"However", he said, "under this Scheme, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are withdrawn from work and enrolled in the Special Training Centres (STCs) run by District Project Societies, where they are provided with the bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend, health care etc. before mainstreaming into the formal education system".
The entire project is implemented through District Project Society under the Chairmanship of administrative head of the district, namely; District Magistrate/Collector/Deputy Commissioner of the District, he said.
Under the NCLP Scheme, according to the minister, funds are released directly to the District Project Societies which in turn release funds to implementing agencies for running STCs.
"No State-wise fund allocation is made under this Scheme. Hence, the data is not maintained centrally since the inception of the NCLP Scheme," he added.
"The District Project Societies are required to conduct survey to identify working children. The children identified in the age group of 5-8 years are directly inducted into formal education system through the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. The working children in the age group of 9-14 years are to be rehabilitated through STCs under NCLP Scheme. After completion of bridge education, training etc, they are mainstreamed into formal education system," he said while replying to question by Dr. Banda Prakash.
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