Government approves complete ban on child labour below 14 yrs of age

The Government today cleared a proposal to put a complete ban on employment of children up to the age of 14 both in hazardous and non-hazardous work by amending an anti-child labour Act. The Union Cabinet, which met in New Delhi today, approved bringing amendment to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which has also penal provisions for non compliance. As per the existing Act, children below 14 years of age are allowed to work in industries not considered to be hazardous. 

Officials said, Children between 14-18 years will also be defined as "adolescents" in the amended Act. The amendment will also fulfill the mandate of Right to Education to free and compulsory education for children in the age group of 6-15 years. It will also bring labour laws in the country in line with International Labour Organisation norms.

The Cabinet today, also referred the Land Acquisition Bill, to a Group of Ministers (GoM). AIR correspondent reports, several ministries had given their suggestions to be adequately addressed in the proposed legislation. Rechristened as 'The Right to Fair Compensation, Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Transparency in Land Acquisition', the bill provides for adequate compensation to farmers for acquisition of their land.