Thank you, Deputy Speaker Sir, for allowing me to speak on The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill.
Child is the future of not only the family but also the future of our nation. It is unfortunate to say that children, who are innocent, are exploited and put to inhuman treatment and abuse. A child is like a bud. He or she needs nurture and care to bloom into a flower.
Child labour is a highly social evil and the root cause of child labour is poverty. Employing children in any work that deprives them of their childhood and that interferes with their ability to attend school affecting them mentally, physically, socially or morally is child labour, which is very dangerous, harmful and a serious concern.
Bonded labour is a hidden phenomenon as a majority of the children are engaged in it and it is a form of slavery. Hundreds of factories across India have so much of child labour. As a developing nation, it is disheartening for us. They are made to work in factories without any protection. Is it legal? Or, is it in any way justified? We say India is going to be a superpower in 2020. We need to develop our human resources.
It focuses on the laws of employment, focuses on the amenity the employees should be given, and on how to develop our employees for a better future. Our Act of Right to Education is nullified by child labour. Our efforts for giving mid-day meal are nullified by child labour. When the Mid-Day Meal Scheme was started, it was for the children to go to school, get education and have food. Child labour is the biggest problem of the future India.
This Act contains four Parts and one Schedule. The Schedule is further made into two parts, namely, Part (A) – Prohibited Occupation and Part (B) – Prohibited Process. This restriction of prohibition is not applicable if any workshop or any process is carried on by the occupier with the aid of his family or any school which maintains or is recognised by the Government.
The Central Government has a Committee to look after all the laws that are followed and the child should not get involved in any hazardous work. The Child Labour Technical Advisory Committee should monitor the injustice faced by children by taking care of their working hours, their health and safety, getting proper rest and getting holidays in a week. This Committee is to take all the steps for the betterment and the welfare of children and take strict action against those people who do not follow the law.
Deputy Speaker Sir, hamare desh mein garibi itni buri tarah hai ki hum child labour ko poori tarha rok nahi pa rahe hain. Azadi ke lagbhag 70 saal hone wale hain. Kabhi kabhi baat sexual offence tak bhi aa jati hain aur inhuman treatment dekhne ko milta hain. Consequence bahut kharab hain, jo desh ko andar hi andar kha rahe hain. Iss desh main illegality aur criminal activities badti ja rahi hain. Iss Bill ke Clause 3 mein jo family enterprise ke bare mein pravdhan hain, yeh sochne wala vishay hain ki iss cheez ko hataya jaye, kyunki yeh cheez baal shram ko aur aura age badne ka mauka de rahi hain. Isse ek bachhe ko daabe mein kaam karne ke liye force kiya ja sakta hain, usko shops mein kaam karne ke liye force kiya ja sakta hain. Yeh sochne ka vishay hain. Jab uska padai karne ka samay hain, tab usko yeh sab karna parega, iss liye yeh section par dhyan diya jaaye. Yehi main sarkar se arj karti hoon. Gandhi Ji ne kaha tha, “Education is something that can give a child a great future.”
Paschim Bangal ke Mananiye Mukhye Mantri Mamata Banerjee Ji ne bachhe ke liye tarah-tarah ki schemes shuru ki hain, jaise Kanyashree, Shikshashree, Sabuj Sathi, Shishu Sathi. Iss tarah ki schemes wey bachho ke liye layi hain aur bachho ke future inse badal rahe hain. Mein apni baat sirf char line keh kar khatam karna chahungi. Yahan par Mananiye Mantri Ji hain, aap iss par thoda gaur kijiye:
Inn hawayon se tum bachaye rakhna,
Umeed ka diya dil mein jalaye rakhna,
Jisne mitne na di Bangal ki laaj,
Uss Mamata Banerjee ko dil mein basaye rakhna, basaye rakhna, basaye rakhna.
With this, I conclude. I request the Government to send the Bill to the Select Committee to make the Bill child-friendly. Thank you, Sir.